Belal Muhammad, the UFC’s welterweight champion, is using his platform to shed light on the ongoing suffering of Palestinians, drawing attention to the catastrophic impact of the conflict. As the first UFC fighter of Palestinian descent to secure a championship title, Muhammad’s victory in July 2024 at UFC 304 in Manchester, England, was a historic moment for his heritage. But for Muhammad, it was an opportunity to represent Palestine on the global stage.
Voice for Palestine’s Suffering
Born in Chicago to Palestinian immigrant parents, Belal Muhammad has long been outspoken about the struggles faced by the Palestinian people. Following his win, he dedicated his title to his family and to Palestine, stressing the urgency of global attention to the pain of the Palestinian people. “It took me the long road, but they did give it to me, right? So I just had to make the most of it. And now, being the champion, now I just got to represent, and I just got to show the people of Palestine, you know, that they have a champion now,” Muhammad said in a recent interview.
Belal Muhammad Stands for Palestine Amid Crisis
His words are a cold reminder of the ongoing violence in Gaza, where Palestinian civilians, including children, are suffering at an alarming rate. “It’s crazy how much they don’t care about kids dying, you know? These are women, children, men—it doesn’t even matter where they’re from or what they’re doing,” Muhammad continued. “It’s like we’re showing you. You’re seeing it every single day on Twitter, on Instagram, on social media.”
Story of Jude
Muhammad shared an emotional story about Jude, a young boy who now lives with his family after surviving an attack. The child was seen in a viral video wearing a Spider-Man shirt, his knee badly injured, as his mother died protecting him. “But I’m like, this is a real kid. Here is a kid now,” Muhammad said, reflecting on the human toll of the conflict. Jude now lives with Belal Muhammad.
The Devastating Impact
The tragedy is not limited to individuals like Jude. Since October 2023, nearly 42,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, with the majority of victims being women and children. The ongoing violence has not only claimed lives but also destroyed homes, infrastructure, and livelihoods. The United Nations reports that over 7,000 minors and nearly 5,000 women have died as a result of the conflict, with children aged 5-9 suffering the most. The crisis has displaced countless civilians, with many now living in overcrowded conditions in a tiny fraction of Gaza’s territory, facing hunger, trauma, and the loss of access to education.
Belal Muhammad’s victory came at a time when the Palestinian community, particularly athletes, had been impacted by the violence. Since the conflict escalated, reports indicate that nearly 400 Palestinian athletes have lost their lives. Muhammad’s platform has allowed him to draw attention to the plight of these victims.
For Belal Muhammad, this is s about standing up for what is right and ensuring that the world does not turn a blind eye to the ongoing pain of Palestine. Muhammad remains steadfast in his mission to ensure that Palestine’s suffering is not forgotten.
“[The conflict] literally has nothing to do with religion, it has to do with humanity. People are literally dying and people are losing their homes. You show a picture of kids dying and I get so many comments like, ‘What about Hamas?’ Bro, you think this 3-year-old kid that just got bombed and killed is Hamas? People look for keywords, trigger words that will get other trolls that just comment on your thing to get a rise out of you.”