Humans of Gaza: 33-year-old footballer Ramzi Al-Safadi killed with brother

By Alireza Akbari

In another tragic incident on Sunday, the Israeli regime killed 33-year-old footballer Ramzi Al-Safadi and his younger brother Hassan in an airstrike in northern Gaza.

The family is in utter shock, struggling to come to terms with the tragedy. Al-Safadi’s wife, Islam, and their twin children, Hashim and Muhammad, just 4 years old, are in a state of mourning. 

Al-Safadi belonged to a large family of nine, already reeling from the heartbreak of losing three sons, with Raed having been martyred in 2008 in the Al-Furqan War.

Al-Safadi was popular in the sports community of Gaza as a very talented goalkeeper. He was also a great Samaritan, always extending a helping hand to his friends.

Besides being a footballer, Al-Safadi also worked as a professional tailor. 

Ramzi's sister, Dohy Al-Safadi, 30, said her brothers were simply trying to find a "livelihood and work, taking goods" when an Israeli warplane bombed them and many others.

"The news of their martyrdom shattered my heart. I can hardly believe they are gone, leaving me alone in this world. They were my support, my everything," she told the Press TV website. 

"Every day, Hassan and Ramzi would call me to check on me, to ask if I needed anything. Now, I’m left with this overwhelming emptiness. Who will call me now? The heartache is unbearable."

Mohamed Motlan, Ramzi’s close friend, in a conversation with the Press TV website, shared his immense grief over the loss of "a dear brother and friend."

“No one could have anticipated this tragedy,” he remarked. “Ramzi was like a brother to many, a friend to those who had none,” he expressed poignantly.

Palestinian midfielder Ahmed Osama echoed this sentiment, describing Ramzi as “a brilliant young man who was always striving to make a living.”

“With the martyrdom of Al-Safadi, the number of martyred athletes in the Gaza Strip has risen to 539 since October 7, 2023, including 350 football players,” the Palestinian Football Association noted in a statement following the tragic killing of the Gaza-based goalkeeper.    

"Football is in the circle of aggression... a martyr in the Strip and the demolition of stadiums in Al-Quds," it said, expressing concern over threats posed to the future of sports in the Gaza Strip.  

His journey in sports began in the schools, mosques, and public squares of Al-Sabra, where he honed his goalkeeping skills. He later played as a goalkeeper for Al-Jalaa Sports Club and transitioned to Al-Shams Club, guided by the expertise of coaches Ziad Al-Kurd, Ibrahim Madoukh, and Hani Mabrouk.

He also played alongside notable stars of Al-Shams at the time, including Muhammad Al-Amur, Hussein Kanaan, Muhammad Al-Matlan, and Muhammad Al-Haddad.

Al-Safadi dedicated some years to the Al-Shams Sports Club in the Tal Al-Hawa neighborhood, south of Gaza City, where he proudly wore the captain's armband for a time and appeared in numerous local tournaments.

He also played several seasons for the Gaza Sports Club, leaving a lasting impact on his teammates and the sports community in general.

His body was transported to the Al-Ahli Al-Arabi Baptist Hospital in eastern Gaza City before being laid to rest in an emotional funeral attended by fellow athletes, teammates, and friends. 

Also, the Al-Shams club, already reeling from the losses of several members due to Israeli attacks— including its president, Bassam Abu Sharia—honored Al-Safadi’s legacy both on and off the pitch.

Sorrowful tributes poured in on social media too, highlighting the deep sense of loss felt by Gaza's sports community, as Palestinian football would now forever be deprived of Ramzi's presence among his friends and the younger talents growing up on the streets of Gaza.

Motlan shared a heartfelt tribute on his Instagram account, bidding farewell to his "brother in spirit."

“With hearts that believe in God’s will and destiny, I bring you the news of the martyrdom of my brother, Ramzi Al-Safadi,” he wrote.

“I swear to God, you are the only person who has been patient with me since the beginning of the war. Every day, you called me and said, ‘I will see you, and we will be back together.’ I can’t imagine that I won’t hear your voice after today. I watched you go, and I couldn’t bid you farewell.”

Motlan included a photo of himself and Al-Safadi sharing a joyful moment, both bursting into laughter.

This same image had been used as Al-Safadi's profile picture on Facebook, serving as a bittersweet reminder of their cherished friendship.

An Instagram account under the name of sawalmaramzi shared a poignant video of Al-Safadi training alongside his young boy, Naseem.

“A photo from a year and a half ago of me and my son Naseem in a training session with the martyred captain Ramzi Al-Safadi in Gaza City, where he remained steadfast and was martyred," read the caption.

Friends and acquaintances of the slain Palestinian footballer bid farewell to Al-Safadi with heartfelt comments steeped in grief and reverence.

“God bless his soul,” wrote one mourner, while another added, “May he find peace in the afterlife,” expressing deep gratitude for his kindness and the lasting legacy he left behind.

Since the outbreak of the Israeli genocidal war on the Gaza Strip in October 2023, the regime has conducted relentless attacks on the 2.5 million Palestinians living in the region.

As a result, the death toll has crossed the mark of 44,000 over 413 days.

A day after Al-Safadi’s martyrdom, Israeli occupation forces stormed the town of Rafat, located northwest of occupied Al-Quds, accompanied by bulldozers that flattened two football fields.

The move is reported to be a part of a broader pattern of escalating demolition policies in the occupied West Bank, occurring alongside the ongoing Israeli acts of aggression in the besieged Gaza Strip.   

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www.presstv.co.uk