Gaza funeral held for aid official killed in Israeli strike
Mohammed al-Wahidi helped stage World Cup screenings in Gaza before an Israeli strike killed him and three others, medics said.
By James Whitfield · Staff Writer
3 min read
Hundreds of Palestinians gathered in Gaza to mourn Mohammed al-Wahidi, a senior official with Egypt’s main aid organisation in the territory, after he was killed in an Israeli air strike on a taxi this week. His death drew attention to both the risks facing relief workers in Gaza and the public World Cup screenings he helped arrange for displaced residents.
Medics said the strike hit a taxi in the Sabra neighbourhood of Gaza City on the eve of Tuesday’s Egypt-Argentina World Cup match, killing al-Wahidi and three other people. Two of those killed were young siblings, ages 10 and 8, who were passing by, according to the medics.
The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights identified the fourth person killed as Ahmed Jehad Rajab Doghmosh, 30, who was also in the taxi. The group said it was not clear whether Doghmosh had been driving or riding as a passenger.
Aid work and football screenings
Al-Wahidi, 57, was the director of public relations for the Egyptian Relief Committee in Gaza, according to Al Jazeera and Reuters. The committee said he had helped remove rubble, reopen roads and build camps for families displaced by the war.
The Egyptian Relief Committee described al-Wahidi as a respected community figure who worked on local disputes, helped provide food and organised World Cup screenings. Those screenings drew thousands of football fans in Gaza, where many residents have been living in tents or damaged shelters.
His son, Fawaz, told Reuters by phone that his father had worked to bring some relief and entertainment to displaced people by bringing matches close to their tents and wrecked homes. Palestinians in Gaza, like many Arabs, had been supporting Egypt before Argentina eliminated the team from the tournament.
Two Egyptian security sources told Reuters that al-Wahidi handled logistics for the aid agency, which they described as the relief arm of the Egyptian government in the Palestinian territory. The same sources said a senior Egyptian official raised al-Wahidi’s killing with Israel and condemned the continued killings in Gaza and obstacles facing the committee’s work.
Funeral in Gaza
At al-Wahidi’s funeral on Wednesday, mourners wrapped his body in Palestinian and Egyptian flags before burial, according to Al Jazeera and Reuters. Friends and neighbours also went to his home during the day to offer condolences.
Fawaz told Reuters that his father’s work for the Egyptian aid agency was tiring, but that al-Wahidi had told his family he wanted to help people uprooted by the war.
Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire on October 10, 2025, according to Al Jazeera. The outlet reported that ground fighting has decreased since then, while Israeli air strikes have continued in Gaza.
Gaza’s Ministry of Health said Israeli attacks have killed at least 1,092 Palestinians and wounded more than 3,507 during the ceasefire period, according to Al Jazeera. The ministry says more than 73,118 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since October 2023.
This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.