Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair wore eye black featuring the names of sisters Lana, 12, and Bana, 8, during an NFL game against the Indianapolis Colts on September 24, 2023. The sisters were killed along with their family in an Israeli air attack earlier in the month. Al-Shaair shared a post on Instagram hours before the game, displaying the eye black and part of his shoes, which had flags of Palestine and Sudan stitched on them.
Al-Shaair, who has previously honored Palestinian children killed in Gaza, faced fines from the NFL for breaching the league's code of conduct regarding player attire. He was fined $11,491 for a similar incident during a game against the Buffalo Bills. NBA player Kyrie Irving offered to pay this fine for Al-Shaair, who confirmed their communication.
In a statement to reporters, Al-Shaair emphasized the importance of his actions, stating, "It’s bigger to me; what’s a life worth? Is a life worth $11,000? No, I think it’s priceless." In a subsequent game, he wore eye black with the name of Wafa Akila, an eight-year-old killed in an Israeli attack.
Al-Shaair had previously been fined for displaying the message "Stop The Genocide" on his nose tape, which was interpreted as a reference to the situation in Gaza and Sudan. Reports indicate that he was threatened with removal from a game if he did not remove the eye black with the names of the slain children.
US Democratic politician Isaiah Martin criticized the NFL's actions, stating that allowing Al-Shaair to honor the children harms no one. He described the league's response as absurd and called for change regarding the enforcement of such rules.
According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza, Israel has killed at least 21,500 children since October 7, 2023, and the ongoing conflict has severely impacted education for the region's children, with 90 percent of schools damaged or destroyed.