NFL fines player $11,941 for honouring slain five-year-old Palestinian girl

Azeez Al-Shaair, a linebacker for the Houston Texans, has been fined $11,941 by the NFL. The fine was for wearing the name of Hind Rajab on his face markings during a game. According to Yahoo Sports, Rajab was a 5-year-old Palestinian girl killed during the Gaza war in 2024.

Rajab was fleeing Gaza City with her family when their vehicle was attacked, and she initially survived but later died after being on the phone with paramedics for hours. Al-Shaair's fine was reported by Punch Nigeria and Yahoo Sports.

Dallas Mavericks point guard Kyrie Irving has offered to pay Al-Shaair's fine, posting on Twitter that he will "take care of his fine". This is not the first time Al-Shaair has been fined for messages on his eye black, as he was also fined during the playoffs last season for writing "Stop the genocide" on his eye black.

Brief written by urgent.news from Punch Nigeria, Yahoo Sports — 2 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.