NFL’s Azeez Al-Shaair honours Palestinian children for fifth straight week

A child rescued in Gaza City

Maryam Ghanem, two and a half, was at home in the Remal neighbourhood of Gaza City when an Israeli strike hit the apartment building on Wednesday. She was forced to watch her mother burn alive.

Local journalists heard her cries and rescued her from the flames. Ghanem was later identified as the only survivor of her family; her father had died at the beginning of Israel’s war on Gaza.

Al-Shaair’s fifth tribute

For his team’s latest National Football League game, Al-Shaair wrote Ghanem’s name on his eyeblack. It was the fifth consecutive week that the American football player had honoured a Palestinian child in this way. Al-Shaair, 29, has been fined and reportedly threatened with removal from games, but has continued the tributes.

Fine and response

The NFL fined Al-Shaair $11,491 for breaching its code of conduct on players’ clothing and equipment during a game against the Buffalo Bills. Speaking to reporters last week, Al-Shaair said, “It’s bigger to me; what’s a life worth? Is a life worth $11,000? No, I think it’s priceless.”

Support from Omar Suleiman

American Muslim scholar Omar Suleiman has repeatedly voiced support for Al-Shaair. He urged people in sports and entertainment to choose to be like Al-Shaair, Kyrie and Macklemore.