Palestine Paracyclid, who lost legs in 2014, killed air raid in Gaza | Global development

A Palestinian cyclist who lost his leg in an Israeli air raid more than a decade ago was killed this week by another rocket attack after spending his life to defy his disability.

The 33-year-old Ahmed al-Dali was a member of the Gaza Sunbirds, a paracycling team that was founded in 2020. He was also an enthusiastic para footballer.

“Ahmed's death is really sad. We don't want him to be just a different number. His whole life, attempt to take part in competitions, was because he didn't want to be another number, another who has lost his leg. Now we have to continue his honor,” said Karim Ali, co -founder of the Gaza Sunbirds.

Ali said Dali had suffered more since the Israeli air raid in 2014 by losing a leg. He was declared dead after the strike and placed in a corner of the body before anyone realized that they were still alive.

He had to juggle his love for sport with reality, to make a living for his wife and four children. He did not receive a disability from the government, but earned a livelihood as a bicycle mechanic before the war. During the Israeli attack on Gaza after the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, he was driven out by his house and had to rely on the help of others.

He was killed on Monday in an attack on the city of Khan Younis, which has ordered Israel in the past few days to go to the Palestinian in an increased offensive in which 85 Palestinians were killed on Tuesday. The Palestinian media reported that up to 30 air raids were killed in Khan Younis in the morning.

Israel has sworn to urge his offensive and take over full control over Gaza Strip, despite the criticism this week by allies, with Great Britain exposing the trade negotiations with Israel.

Ali said that Dali's problems before his death were typical of many in the Gaza Sunbirds community.

“Your life has been an unimaginable hell for almost two years now. The majority of the team cannot find food, you are sick with skin diseases, with rashes, there is no medicine for you or your family. Your prosthesis is damaged and cannot be serviced.”

He added: “Ahmed loved cycling, he always loved cycling, he always had the best intentions, but life put pressure on him as a person.”

Flavia Cappellini, an Italian filmmaker who spent time with Dali while making a documentary about the cycling team, described him as “shy and lush”.

She said Dali was obliged to his family, but sometimes had to fight with the challenges that he tried as a disabled man in Gaza and tried to find employment.

“How do you work in a place where people with disabilities offer no chances? The torture HM, especially with regard to its sporting efforts. This reality has made him so hard,” she said. “He would start with his jeans because he had no other clothes, but that didn't prevent him from experiencing freedom while he was on a bike.

“You could have the feeling that you do your best to return from his injury trauma when he lost his leg in 2014. He wanted to be successful as in life in sport, but all chances against him were against him.”

In the past 16 months, the Sunbirds have distributed help worth $ 450,000 (336,000 GBP) throughout the Gaza Strip.