Palestinian amateur racer Ahmed al-Dali (GAZA SUNBIRDS) was killed Monday 19 May in a series of escalating Israeli military airstikes on the city of Khan Younis in Gaza, according to The Guardian.

“Ahmed loved cycling, he always loved cycling, he always had the best intentions but life put pressure on him as a person. Ahmed’s death is really saddening. We don’t want him to be just another number. His whole life, trying to compete, trying to get into sports, was because he didn’t want to be another number, another one who lost his leg. Now we have to continue in his honour,” Gaza Sunbirds co-founder Karim Ali told The Guardian.

Ahmed al-Dali, 33, joined the Gaza Sunbirds paracycling team after loosing his leg in 2014, also due to an Israeli airstrike, and worked as a bike mechanic until the Israeli siege of Gaza in November 2023.

Last year fellow Gaza Sunbirds Mohammed Asfour and Alaa al-Dali escaped from Gaza to Belgium, where earlier this month they qualified for the 2025 UCI Para-Cycling Road World Championships.

Fifteen teammates, including Ahmed al-Dali, remained in Gaza to provide aid and support to citizens struggling to survive, distributing over $400,000 USD worth of aid, including 15,000 hot meals, 120,000 kilograms of food, 140 toys and 22 bikes.

Photo Credit: X-Twitter/GazaSunbirds

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