Gaza aid worker who organised World Cup screenings killed in Israeli strike

On Tuesday, the day of the Egypt‑Argentina World Cup last‑16 match, an Israeli missile struck a taxi in Gaza’s Sabra neighbourhood just before kickoff. The blast killed Mohamed al‑Wahidi, a senior Palestinian official of the Egyptian Relief Committee, and three other people – a taxi driver and two brothers aged ten and eight.

Deadly strike on the eve of a match

According to Dr Mohamed Abu Selmiya, director of Al‑Shifa Hospital, the vehicle was hit at dusk on al‑Maghribi Street, an hour before the match began. He confirmed the deaths of al‑Wahidi, the driver Ahmed Daghmush, and the brothers Hamza al‑Deri (ten) and Fari al‑Deri (eight).

Media additions

While the hospital’s account names the driver as 33‑year‑old Ahmed Daghmush, the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights identified a fourth victim as 30‑year‑old Ahmed Jehad Rajab Doghmosh, noting it was unclear whether he was the driver or a passenger. No Palestinian militant group claimed any of the four as a member.

Who was Mohamed al‑Wahidi?

Al‑Wahidi served as director of public relations – and in other reports as logistics chief – for the Egyptian Committee in Gaza, the relief arm of Egypt’s government. He had spent years coordinating humanitarian and development projects, and during the World Cup he organised public screenings that drew thousands of residents to watch the games from makeshift shelters and damaged buildings.

"My father worked hard to bring some entertainment to the people, to the displaced, to us and everyone who suffers in Gaza, he tried to bring them the matches close to their tents and wrecked shelters,"

Fawaz al‑Wahidi, son, via Reuters

Victims and conflicting reports

The identities of the other victims have been reported differently. The hospital director said the driver was 33 and named him Ahmed Daghmush. In contrast, the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights named Ahmed Jehad Rajab Doghmosh, aged 30, as the fourth victim, without confirming his role in the vehicle.

Family members of the children described the brothers returning home after playing football when the blast occurred. “We were gathered at a family event when we heard an explosion and were told that a car had been hit on al‑Maghribi Street,” the cousin said.

Israeli military response

An Israel Defense Forces spokesperson told CBS News that the strike was aimed at “a terrorist in Hamas’ military wing while he was traveling in a vehicle in the northern Gaza Strip.” The IDF said it was aware of claims that uninvolved civilians were harmed, that the incident was under review, and that it “regrets any harm to uninvolved individuals and takes all feasible measures to mitigate such harm.”

The military added that it was investigating whether the driver, Ahmed Daghmush, had been the intended target, while maintaining that al‑Wahidi was not.

Family and community reactions

Al‑Wahidi’s son, Fawaz, said his father felt a personal responsibility to bring relief to people “suffering in Gaza.” Egyptian security sources said a senior Egyptian official raised the death with Israeli counterparts, expressing opposition to “the continued policy of assassinations and any obstruction of the committee’s work.”

Hundreds attended the funeral on July 8, carrying al‑Wahidi’s body draped in both Palestinian and Egyptian flags. Neighbours and friends visited his home throughout the day, underscoring his standing in the community.

Broader conflict backdrop

The Gaza Health Ministry reports a death toll of more than 73,000 Palestinians since the war started on 8 October 2023, with women and children comprising roughly half of the fatalities.

A United Nations independent commission of enquiry, cited by The Guardian, alleged that Palestinian children were deliberately targeted during the conflict, including in the period after the ceasefire. The same report noted that the overall Palestinian death toll has surpassed 73,000.

Hamas chief negotiator Khalil Al‑Hayya arrived in Cairo on 9 July for renewed ceasefire talks, while indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas remain deadlocked over the second phase of the ceasefire deal, which includes disarmament and Israeli troop withdrawals.

In addition, the United Nations‑backed Board of Peace, headed by Nickolay Mladenov, is overseeing the implementation of a U.S.‑proposed 20‑point roadmap for Gaza’s reconstruction. The board’s work is tied to the formation of a technocratic governing body, the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG), which has yet to be allowed entry into Gaza by Israel.

What to watch next

• Israeli investigation: The IDF said the incident is under review and that it will determine whether the driver was the intended target.
• Ceasefire negotiations: Talks in Cairo involving Hamas negotiator Khalil Al‑Hayya and senior Egyptian officials continue, with the second phase of the ceasefire agreement under discussion.
• UN‑backed governance: The Board of Peace’s roadmap and the pending deployment of the International Stabilisation Force, mandated by the UN Security Council, remain critical to the enclave’s reconstruction and civilian protection.