RAMALLAH, Palestine/ISTANBUL

The Israeli army has killed 785 Palestinian athletes and sports officials in Gaza and the West Bank since October 2023, the Palestinian Football Association said on Sunday.

The deaths include players and administrative staff from various sports, with the vast majority killed in Gaza and 23 in the occupied West Bank, Susan Shalabi, deputy head of the association, told Anadolu.

Shalabi said that 437 of those killed were football players, including 15 from the West Bank.

She explained that the association is compiling the figures using player registration records and data from its Gaza branch.

However, Shalabi noted that the toll is likely higher due to missing persons under rubble and restricted access to many affected areas as a result of Israeli airstrikes and the ongoing blockade.

Regarding sports infrastructure, Shalabi said Israeli attacks have completely or partially destroyed 288 sports facilities, including stadiums, gyms and club buildings. Of those, 21 were in the occupied West Bank.

She demanded an end to Israel’s deliberate targeting of Palestinian sports and called for protection for athletes and sports venues in both Gaza and the West Bank.

Despite international calls for a ceasefire, the Israeli army has killed at least 56,000 Palestinians in a deadly onslaught in the Gaza Strip since October 2023.

Attacks by the Israeli army and illegal settlers have also killed at least 986 Palestinians in the West Bank during the same period, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.

Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.