Arab News Japan

DUBAI: 24-year-old karate champion Nagham Abu Samra, who lost her leg in an Israeli strike in Gaza, died on Friday, after being transferred to an Egypt hospital days prior. 

Abu Samra had been in a coma since Dec. 18, when her family house in the Al-Nuseirat refugee camp was bombed, causing her right leg to get amputated. The attack also took her sister’s life.

Her father was quoted as saying that she was “the most beautiful karate player in the world,” by Gaza journalist Hani Abu Rezeq. 

Abu Samra’s dream was to become a global karate champion. In 2017 and 2019, she won first and second place in the Palestinian Karate Championships.

Right after her injury, her father begged the world to help his daughter get transferred abroad to receive treatment via social media. In a video posted by eye.on.palestine on Instagram, he said, “I’m asking all sports fans, federations, presidents of Palestine’s neighboring countries, and Palestine’s supporters to please hurry in transferring my daughter Nagham (abroad).” 

“Nagham, to me, was the best karate player in the whole world… That’s why I wish that she would recover after this injustice. I can’t handle seeing her like this every day,” he added.