Brief

NFL player Azeez Al‑Shaair honors Gaza child Maryam Ghanem at London game

The Houston Texans’ linebacker used his game‑day tape to spotlight a Palestinian child killed in Gaza, amid ongoing NFL fines and public debate.

By Felo News Desk · Published Mon, 19 Oct 2026 18:00:27 GMT

Azeez Al‑Shaair, a 29‑year‑old linebacker for the Houston Texans, wrote the name of Maryam Ghanem on his eyeblack during the team’s National Football League match against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Wembley Stadium in London on Sunday, according to Al Jazeera.

Maryam Ghanem, a two‑and‑a‑half‑year‑old girl from Gaza’s Remal neighbourhood, survived an Israeli strike that killed her mother and left her with severe burns. Local journalists rescued her from the flames and she was later taken to hospital, where she described her hand pain while clutching a doll.

Al‑Shaair has used the same practice for five consecutive weeks, beginning on September 13 with the name of Hind Rajab, a five‑year‑old killed in Gaza in January 2024. The NFL fined him $11,491 for breaching the league’s code of conduct on player apparel during a previous game against the Buffalo Bills. Despite the fine and reported threats of removal from future matches, he has continued the tribute.

Kyrie Irving, a nine‑time NBA All‑Star, offered to pay the fine, and Al‑Shaair confirmed he was in contact with the basketball star. The player, who identifies as a Black American Muslim, says the eyeblack—tape worn to reduce glare—serves as a platform to draw attention to the civilian casualties of the three‑year‑long Israel‑Gaza war, which he describes as genocidal.

The match itself was part of the NFL’s Week 6 London series, with the Jaguars defeating the Texans in a dramatic finish, as reported in Felo’s coverage of the game.

Key facts

Azeez Al‑Shaair wrote Maryam Ghanem's name on his eyeblack during the Texans‑Jaguars game at Wembley. (aljazeera.com)
Maryam Ghanem, 2½ years old, survived an Israeli strike that killed her mother and left her with severe burns. (aljazeera.com)
The NFL fined Al‑Shaair $11,491 for breaching the league’s code of conduct on player apparel. (aljazeera.com)
NBA star Kyrie Irving offered to pay the fine for Al‑Shaair. (aljazeera.com)
Al‑Shaair has been honoring Palestinian children for five weeks, starting with Hind Rajab on September 13. (aljazeera.com)