UEFA Displays “Stop Killing Children” Banner At Super Cup Final
Before the Super Cup final between Tottenham and PSG, UEFA displayed a banner reading “Stop Killing Children — Stop Killing Civilians”, as nine refugee children from conflict zones, including Gaza, walked onto the field in Udine, Italy. Among them were 12-year-old Tala and 9-year-old Mohamed, both from Gaza. Tala is undergoing medical treatment in Milan, while Mohamed, who lost his parents and was severely injured in an airstrike, was also brought to Italy for care.
UEFA said the banner was “not political but about humanity”, following criticism from Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah, who called out the organization’s earlier tribute to Palestinian footballer Suleiman al-Obeid for omitting that he was killed by an Israeli strike. Salah responded to UEFA’s post with: “Can you tell us how he died, where, and why?” Al-Obeid, once dubbed the “Palestinian Pelé,” was reportedly killed while waiting for humanitarian aid in southern Gaza.
The banner unveiling came just a day after UEFA announced expanded support for humanitarian efforts in Gaza, partnering with Doctors Without Borders, Handicap International, and Médecins du Monde. UEFA maintains that the display followed its rules, stating it did not reference any specific conflict. Still, critics see the move as a response to growing pressure over the organization’s silence on the war in Gaza, where over 60,000 Palestinians have reportedly died since October 2023.
