RAMALLAH: A 17-year-old Palestinian footballer died on Saturday, a week after being shot during an attack in his village in the occupied West Bank, Palestinian officials and relatives said.
Fadi Hamdallah al-Nassan, a player for Al-Mughayyir Club and a member of the Palestinian national youth team, was shot on July 11 in Al-Mughayyir village, east of Ramallah, according to the Palestine Football Association (PFA).
The PFA said al-Nassan was shot in the thigh during an attack involving Israeli settlers and forces. His leg was later amputated, and he died from his injuries on Saturday.
What happened during the attack?
According to al-Nassan’s family, he went toward the scene after hearing women and girls screaming during the incident.
His father, Hamdallah al-Nassan, said his son had gone to the area during the attack and was killed.
Mourners carried al-Nassan’s body from the Palestine Medical Complex in Ramallah to his hometown of Al-Mughayyir for burial on Saturday.
The PFA said al-Nassan’s death brought the number of Palestinian sports figures killed since October 7, 2023, to more than 1,000, including hundreds associated with football.
Has violence increased in the West Bank?
The incident comes amid continued violence in the occupied West Bank, where Palestinian officials and international organisations have reported an increase in settler attacks and Israeli military operations.
Palestinian news agency Wafa reported that Israeli settlers and forces carried out separate attacks on Saturday, including the burning of Palestinian property near Ramallah and Nablus.
Israeli authorities have not issued a public comment on the circumstances surrounding al-Nassan’s death.
The West Bank, captured by Israel in the 1967 war, has seen heightened tensions since the outbreak of the Gaza war in October 2023.