An Israeli air strike in Gaza City killed a senior Palestinian aid official who had helped organise public screenings of the World Cup, striking just before the kickoff of the Round of 16 match between Egypt and Argentina on Tuesday. The killing turned what many Palestinians had hoped would be a rare moment of celebration into a further reminder that near-daily Israeli strikes are continuing to kill civilians despite a truce reached in October. The victim, Mohamed al-Wahidi, worked for the Egyptian Committee, the relief arm of the Egyptian government, which had set up screens across the enclave for fans to watch the tournament.

According to Dr Mohamed Abu Selmiya of Shifa Hospital, the strike hit a car in the Sabra neighbourhood at dusk, killing al-Wahidi, two brothers aged 10 and eight, and the 33-year-old driver, a taxi driver said not to be affiliated with any militant group. The Israeli military said al-Wahidi was not the target and that it had been aiming at a Hamas militant. Egypt's coach, Hossam Hassan, has repeatedly highlighted the plight of Palestinians during the tournament, waving a Palestinian flag after a previous victory. Israel says its strikes target militants; at least 1,027 people, including 258 children, have reportedly been killed since the truce began, while the overall Palestinian death toll in the war stands at 73,098 according to the Gaza Health Ministry.