The BBC is facing a complaint after Gary Lineker lamented the killing of a Palestinian footballer who was later revealed to be Hamas terrorist.

The BBC presenter and former England striker sparked fury after he described footballer Ahmed Daraghmeh’s death as “awful”.

However, it was later revealed that Daraghmeh had been shot dead after firing at Israeli soldiers.

The incident happened when IDF troops were escorting Israeli civilians to Joseph’s Tomb in Nablus last week and were reportedly attacked by Palestinians who shot at them and hurled explosive devices. The Israeli soldiers said they retaliated with live fire and confirmed the death of one Palestinian, reported to have been Daraghmeh, 23.

Hamas announced that Daraghmeh, who played for West Bank Premier League team Thaqafi Tulkarem, was a “mourned martyr… who was shot dead by the Israeli occupation forces at dawn Thursday in Nablus City”.

In a headline on their Arabic website, the terrorist group referred to Daraghmeh as a “mujahid”, meaning fighter or warrior.

Images of a funeral procession in which Palestinians carrying Daraghmeh’s body draped in the Hamas flag have been published by several photo agencies.Voicing his outrage over the shooting, Mr Lineker retweeted a post that read: “This #Palestinian soccer player Ahmed Daraghmeh was waiting for a great future in representing his country’s team, #Palestine.

“The bullets of the occupation stopped his football dream & took his life treacherously. A little while ago in #Nablus. #FreePalestine #Ukraine #sportgala.”

The complaint to the BBC, filed by UK Lawyers for Israel, notes that Mr Lineker has neither apologised for nor corrected the misleading information in his tweet.

It adds: “The visit was coordinated between Israeli and Palestinian authorities in accordance with the Oslo II Accord. The tweet also accuses the Israeli forces of taking his life ‘treacherously’ when they were defending a legitimate visit of a Jewish group to pray at a holy place against armed attack by Ahmed Daraghmeh and other terrorists.”

Emma Picken, an activist for Labour Against Antisemitism, wrote in response to Mr Lineker’s tweet: “He was a member of Hamas you useful idiot.”

Aviva Klompas, a former head of speechwriting with the Israeli mission to the UN, said: “You forgot to mention that the soccer player was carrying a gun and firing at IDF troops.” The JC contacted Mr Lineker for comment.