Muhannad Al-Talmis was not entering a football pitch or preparing for training when his life was turned upside down in a single second. He was walking down a street in western Gaza City, taking normal steps for a child carrying a dream bigger than his age, when an Israeli rocket pierced the sky and landed next to him, leaving shrapnel lodged in his back. And that’s where the story ended.

Muhannad Al-Talmis: the dream is over

At that moment, Muhannad Al-Talmis lost not only his ability to move but also the running he knew, the football that filled his days, and the future he had imagined for himself as a player wearing the Palestinian jersey. The shrapnel hit his spine, transforming him from a boy chasing a ball in alleys and playgrounds to a motionless body, trapped in pain, a prisoner of a bed that would not obey him.

Muhannad, the son of former Palestinian national team player Ziad Al-Talmis, was no stranger to football. He grew up in a home that knew the meaning of grass, numbers, jerseys and cheering. Before the war, he joined a football academy, and his coaches saw him as a promising player, moving with confidence and playing with his heart before his feet. He dreamed of continuing on that path, wearing the same number as his father and hearing his name chanted from the stands.

But war does not grant opportunities. One missile ended everything, leaving Muhannad with half a body that does not respond and half a dream that will never be fulfilled. He underwent surgery on his spine and emerged with a weaker body, a harder life, and a hope that clings to survival.

Destroyed by Israel

Today, Muhannad Al-Talmis does not think about championships or goals. The most he can hope for is to stand on his own, to walk a step without crutches or assistance, to regain some of the independence that was stolen from him. He watches his friends playing from his bedroom window, and his eyes close before the scene is complete, as if his heart can no longer bear the comparison.

Football was not just a hobby for him, but a space to breathe in a harsh reality. It was his only way to feel normal, like any other child in the world. Today, memories are the only playground available to him.

Muhannad Al-Talmis’s story is not a set of numbers in a medical report, nor a passing mention in a news bulletin. It is the story of a dream cut short, and a childhood put to a test beyond its capacity. A boy who only wanted to play found himself fighting to walk.

In Gaza, loss is not measured by the number of goals scored, but by the number of dreams that fell before they could reach the net. Muhannad is one of those who lost the game before it even began.

Featured image via the Canary

By Alaa Shamali

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