UEFA invites Gazan children to Super Cup Final
UEFA unfurled a banner with the message "Stop Killing Children. Stop Killing Civilians" ahead of the European Super Cup final between Paris Saint-Germain and Tottenham Hotspur in Udine, Italy.
Read more: UEFA displays “stop killing children” banner in Super Cup final with no mention of Gaza
The pre-match display was followed by an even more personal gesture as two children from the Gaza Strip participated in the post-match medal ceremony alongside UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin.
The two children, 12-year-old Tala and 9-year-old Muhammad, have both left the Gaza Strip to receive treatment outside.
Tala, described as having "fragile health," was transferred to Milan for medical care that was unavailable in Gaza.
Muhammad, who lost his parents in an airstrike and was severely injured, was also brought to Milan with his grandmother for treatment.
They were part of a larger group of nine refugee children from various conflict zones, including Afghanistan, Iraq, Nigeria, and Ukraine, who participated in the opening ceremony to display the banner.
The ceremony and humanitarian messaging came after UEFA faced a significant public backlash.
Days before the final, the organization posted a tribute to Suleiman Al-Obeid, a former Palestinian national team footballer, referring to him as the "Palestinian Pelé" but omitting the circumstances of his death.
According to the Palestine Football Association, Al-Obeid was killed by an ‘Israeli’ attack on civilians waiting for humanitarian aid.
In a widely circulated response on social media, Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah publicly criticized the vague tribute, asking, "Can you tell us how he died, where, and why?".
In response to the mounting pressure, the UEFA Foundation for Children announced new partnerships with three humanitarian charities, Médecins du Monde, Médecins Sans Frontières, and Handicap International, that provide aid to children in Gaza.
These organizations will provide medical care, psychosocial support, and distribute food and water.
UEFA President Čeferin framed the organization’s actions in humanitarian terms, stating, "children are innocent" and that it is the duty of adults "to stand beside children when they need us"
