Majed Abu Maraheel, the first Palestinian athlete to compete in the Olympic Games, has died in Gaza at the age of 61 due to a lack of medical treatment for kidney failure in his country.

Head of the Palestinian Olympic Committee, Jibril Rajoub, said Wednesday he hoped the Paris Olympic Games would bring more attention to the war in Gaza and the "Israeli occupation of the West Bank," Times of Israel reported last week. So far the country is set to participate in the Games with one athlete confirmed in taekwondo while other hopefuls are training to meet the International Olympic Committee standards to have priority for wildcards. Rajoub said in a press conference earlier this month that Palestine will have a minimum of 6-8 (athletes), three of which are likely to come from Gaza. 

On a sandy football pitch surrounded by tents in Khan Younis, boys play football barefoot supervised by coach Muayad Abu Afash despite the fear of attacks from Israeli forces. With children no longer going to school, it is a rare escape from the grim reality of war in Gaza.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino announced on Friday that the organisation will seek independent legal guidance regarding the Palestinian Football Association's call to suspend its Israeli counterpart over recent events in Gaza.