A well-known Palestinian aid worker who helped bring moments of joy to war-weary families through public World Cup screenings has been killed in an Israeli air strike in Gaza City. Mohammed al-Wahidi, 65, died on Tuesday when a missile struck the taxi he was travelling in, sparking an outpouring of grief across the Gaza Strip.

Within hours of his death, social media filled with photographs, videos and tributes celebrating al-Wahidi's humanitarian work. Hundreds of people shared memories of meeting him at aid distributions or in displacement camps, describing him as one of Gaza's most recognisable relief workers.

The strike hit the taxi in Gaza City's Sabra neighbourhood. Al-Wahidi was killed alongside three other people, including two brothers aged eight and 10 who were passing by, as well as another man.

The Israeli military said it had targeted a Hamas operative. It added that it was aware of reports claiming uninvolved individuals had also been killed in the strike.

Before the war, al-Wahidi worked as an English teacher. As the conflict intensified, he became a senior official with the Egyptian Relief Committee in Gaza, an Egypt-backed organisation that has played a major role in humanitarian relief during the war between Israel and Hamas.

For more than two-and-a-half years, he helped coordinate emergency food aid, oversaw the creation of camps for displaced families and organised relief efforts for communities repeatedly uprooted by the fighting.

Many Palestinians said he became a familiar face because he preferred working directly with displaced families instead of remaining behind a desk. Volunteers who served alongside him recalled seeing him regularly at aid distribution sites, listening to families and responding to their immediate needs.

In recent weeks, al-Wahidi became even more widely known after helping organise public screenings of FIFA World Cup matches in Gaza City, Deir al-Balah and the al-Mawasi area in southern Gaza.

The screenings were designed to give families, especially children, a brief escape from the realities of war. Egypt's matches attracted particularly large crowds, reflecting the long-standing cultural, emotional and political ties many Palestinians in Gaza feel with their neighbouring country.

Videos showing children and families gathering around giant outdoor screens among bomb-damaged buildings spread widely online, offering rare scenes of celebration during the conflict.

Al-Wahidi was killed only hours before one of those events was due to take place—Egypt's last-16 match against Argentina—deepening the shock felt across Gaza

Activist Mohammed Hmeid, who documented al-Wahidi's humanitarian work, paid an emotional tribute following his death.

"He was not simply an aid worker in a humanitarian committee," Hmeid wrote. "He was a door to hope that opened every day for displaced people and those who had lost everything."

He added that everyone who knew al-Wahidi spoke of his kindness, integrity and generosity. "In Gaza, even those who dedicate their lives to helping others are not spared. But good deeds cannot be killed. They live on in the hearts of the people."

Al-Wahidi's death comes as humanitarian workers continue to face grave dangers throughout Gaza. According to the United Nations, at least 593 aid workers had been killed since the war began as of late April, including eight since Israel and Hamas agreed a ceasefire 10 months ago.

According to Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry, at least 73,118 people have been killed in Israeli attacks since then. The United Nations regards the ministry's casualty figures as reliable.

Al-Wahidi's death has added to growing concern over the risks faced by humanitarian workers operating in Gaza. His work delivering aid and creating moments of normality for displaced families has left a lasting impression on many people across the territory.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cwylznzjk04o

Another day, another Israeli attrocity.