Full Breakdown
Azeez Al-Shaair Uses NFL Platform to Honor Palestinian Children
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event: Weekly Tribute on the Field
For the fifth consecutive NFL game, Houston Texans defensive end Azeez Al-Shaair wore a strip of black “eyeblack” tape bearing the name of Maryam Ghanem, a two-and-a-half-year-old who survived an Israeli strike that killed her mother in Gaza’s Remal neighbourhood. Al-Shaair displayed the tape across his nose during the Texans’ match against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Wembley Stadium in London.
Background & Context
Al-Shaair, a Black American Muslim player, has used his weekly platform to draw attention to civilian casualties in the three-year-long Israel-Gaza conflict. He began the current season by honoring five-year-old Hind Rajab—killed on January 29, 2024 after Israeli soldiers opened fire on her family’s stranded car—by writing her name on the tape on September 13. Each subsequent Sunday he has added the name of a different child who died in Gaza, most recently Maryam Ghanem, who was rescued after her home was set ablaze.
Official Statements & Responses
The NFL fined Al-Shaair $11,491 for violating the league’s code of conduct on player apparel. Al-Shaair dismissed the penalty, stating that a human life is “priceless” compared with the fine. Prominent American Muslim scholar Omar Suleiman publicly backed the player, noting his weekly tributes despite the sanctions. NBA star Kyrie Irving offered to cover the fine, confirming Al-Shaair’s claim that he had been in contact with the nine-time All-Star.
Data & Statistics
- Fine imposed by the NFL: $11,491.
- Number of consecutive weeks Al-Shaair has honored a Palestinian child: five.
- Ages of the children highlighted: Hind Rajab and Maryam Ghanem (2½).
- Location of the latest tribute: Wembley Stadium, London.
Verbatim Quotes
- “My brother, who went to Jordan to be with Palestinian refugees this summer, who spends time with Palestinian children with missing limbs in Houston, who is using every week of his Pro Bowl NFL career to honour a Palestinian child despite the fines,” — Omar Suleiman, american muslim scholar