■Israel launched a bombing raid on Gaza during the Super Bowl.

■At least 67 Palestinians were killed in the attack.

■The attack is now known as “the Super Bowl massacre.”

During the recent Super Bowl, as millions of Americans were engrossed in the game, Israel launched a bombing raid on Rafah in the Gaza Strip. The densely populated area had become a refuge for over a million people fleeing the now-destroyed Gaza City. The Israeli government, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, had hinted at a possible cease-fire, but instead chose to attack during the Super Bowl.

The Gaza Health Ministry reports that at least 67 Palestinians were killed in the attack, not including those injured or traumatized. Ghada al-Kurd, a resident of Rafah, described the terrifying night to The New York Times, saying, “The bombing was everywhere — we were convinced that the Israeli army was invading Rafah.”

The Israeli government celebrated the release of two hostages, while the U.S. media largely downplayed the civilian casualties. CBS aired an ad from the Israeli government about the remaining 130 hostages in Gaza, which led to 10,000 complaints to the FCC due to the lack of disclosure that a foreign government had funded the ad.

Robert Kraft, owner of the New England Patriots, spent $7 million on an ad from his Foundation to Combat Anti-Semitism. The ad featured Clarence Jones, a former speechwriter for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. However, the ad failed to mention Kraft’s $1 million donations to pro-war AIPAC and Donald Trump’s inauguration.

The Super Bowl has been used in the past to promote war, such as in 1991 when Whitney Houston sang the national anthem as warplanes flew overhead before Operation Desert Storm, and in 2002 when U2 and Bono performed in the wake of 9/11. The recent Super Bowl attack, now known as “the Super Bowl massacre,” is another example of this trend. The attack on Rafah should be remembered as a significant part of football history, and a reminder of the war crimes funded by American taxpayers.

Read more at The Nation.