Nagham Abu Samra | |
|---|---|
نغم أبو سمرة | |
 | |
| Born | 1999 or 2000 |
| Died | (aged 24) |
| Cause of death | Israeli airstrike |
| Education | Bachelor's and Master's in Physical Education fromAl-Aqsa University |
| Occupation | karateka |
Nagham Abu Samra (Arabic:نغم أبو سمرة; 1999 or 2000[1] – 12 January 2024) was a Palestiniankarate champion who opened a sports training club for girls inGaza. Considered a Palestinian sports icon, she was expected to representPalestine in the2024 Summer Olympics but was killed by anIsraeli airstrike during theGaza war.
Abu Samra was from theNuseirat refugee camp.[2] She became interested in learning karate after seeing other children at a karate school near her home.[3] At the age of 6, she started learning karate[4] and attained ablack belt in 2011.[1][5] Although she was criticized by some people in her community for participating in a sport they considered to be off-limits for girls, her father supported her interest.[6][3][5]
Abu Samra advocated for girls to participate in sports,[1][5] stating: "I wanted every girl to feel her strength from within, not from those surrounding her."[6] According to her father, she wanted to "inspire generations of girls to play karate".[7] After obtaining bachelor's and master's degrees in Physical Education atAl-Aqsa University,[1][4] Abu Samra started a gym for girls in 2021.[2][1][8]
Abu Samra competed several times at the Palestine Karate Championship, placing second in 2017 and 2018 and first in 2019.[1][5][3] She was largely unable to compete internationally due to Israeli restrictions on Palestinian athletes.[5] Considered a Palestinian sports icon,[1][9] Abu Samra was expected to representPalestine in the2024 Summer Olympics.[1][10]
Her mother died of cancer shortly before theGaza war began in 2023.[7][3]
On 17 or 18 December 2023, the Israeli military launched anairstrike on Nuseirat refugee camp that hit Abu Samra's home,[3][11] killing her sister Roseanne.[1][2] Abu Samra sustained serious injuries in the attack; she arrived atAl-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in a coma and having lost her right leg.[1][12] Due toIsraeli attacks on the healthcare system and theshortage of medical supplies and other resources, hospitals in Gaza have limited capacity.[1][13][11] Additionally, her family feared an Israeli airstrike would hit the hospital.[3] Unable to adequately treat her severe injuries, the hospital attempted to obtain a permit to evacuate her.[1][13] Her father made appeals via news media and social media requesting international assistance in transferring her for medical care.[12][11][14] He toldSky News: "I am ruined. Nagham is my life and my spirit".[7]
After several weeks, Abu Samra was granted a medical permit and transferred to a hospital inEl-Arish, Egypt, arriving January 7.[1][13] Her father, who travelled with her, said that Abu Samra almost died on the journey due to issues with herventilator.[13] Around that time, the Israeli military startedattacking the Al-Aqsa hospital that had treated Abu Samra in Gaza.[13] A few days after reaching Egypt, she died.[12][15]
After Abu Samra's death, an Al-Aqsa Hospital official stated that her permit to evacuate had been granted "too late".[1]Jibril Rajoub, the head of thePalestine Olympic Committee, called her death a loss for Palestinian sports.[1] Abu Samra has been mentioned in several news articles as one of hundreds of Palestinian athletes killed by Israel in the Gaza war.[9][16][17][18] As of May 2024, it was estimated that between 243 and 300 Palestinian athletes had been killed since the war began;[17][10] by June 2025, the estimate was 582 athletes.[16] A play about Abu Samra's life calledNagham of Gaza is in development.[19]
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