Photo: A Christian Palestinian child amputee maimed by Jews who used her for target practice.
By Jazzmine Gayle S. Miguel: Adidas has faced criticism online after former Israeli soldier Shalev Biton appeared in a campaign promoting its Single Shoe Service for people with lower-limb differences. The service allows eligible customers who need only one shoe to buy it for 50 per cent of the price of a full pair. Critics have questioned the choice of Biton, as the World Health Organization estimates that more than 50,000 traumatic limb amputations have occurred in Gaza since October 2023.
Biton lost his left leg after being seriously wounded during the 2021 Israel-Gaza conflict. His story is now being used to promote the Adidas service as it launches in Israel, with the former soldier presenting the scheme as a practical change for amputees and others with lower-limb differences. The campaign has also prompted online criticism over the decision to feature an Israeli military veteran against the backdrop of Gaza’s high number of amputees.
Adidas Features Israeli Veteran
Biton was seriously wounded during fighting near Gaza in May 2021. The attack in which he was injured also killed Omer Tabib, a soldier from the Israeli military’s 931st Battalion of the Nahal Brigade, after an anti-tank missile struck an Israeli military vehicle.
Biton later had his left leg amputated and underwent a lengthy rehabilitation process. He eventually learned to walk with a prosthetic leg and returned to a more active life. His experience also exposed some of the everyday difficulties faced by people living with limb loss.
One of those problems was buying shoes. Someone who only needs one shoe may still have to pay for a full pair and be left with another shoe they cannot use. Biton is now involved in the Israeli launch of Adidas’s Single Shoe Service, which aims to address that problem.
How the Service Works
Adidas introduced its Single Shoe Service in Europe on 19 January 2026 and formally announced the initiative in March. The company said the service was available across 23 European countries with Adidas-owned stores.
The idea is straightforward. A customer with a lower-limb difference can purchase only the shoe they need for 50 per cent of the full-pair price. The service applies to in-stock footwear at Adidas-owned stores, including adult and children’s shoes and sale items. It does not currently apply to online purchases or third-party retailers.
Adidas said the programme was developed in consultation with people with lived experience of limb difference, including members of the community and organisations such as ParalympicsGB. The company described the initiative as part of a wider effort to make sports and its products more accessible to underserved communities.
Campaign Sparks Gaza Questions
Biton’s appearance in the campaign has drawn criticism online, with some social media users questioning the decision to feature an Israeli military veteran in an initiative for people with limb loss while Gaza is facing large numbers of traumatic amputations and other serious limb injuries.
According to World Health Organization estimates released in May 2026, more than 5,000 traumatic limb amputations have occurred in Gaza since October 2023. WHO also estimated more than 22,000 major extremity injuries during the same period.
Some critics have questioned whether Palestinians who have lost limbs are receiving comparable attention in discussions about accessibility. Some of the criticism has focused on Adidas’s choice of campaign representative and the political context surrounding the war rather than on the Single Shoe Service itself.
Biton’s military background has also become part of the criticism surrounding the campaign, with some commentators linking his appearance to the wider debate over the war in Gaza.
Adidas Faces a Difficult Contrast
Adidas created the Single Shoe Service to address a practical cost faced by people with lower-limb differences. Allowing customers to purchase one shoe instead of requiring them to buy a pair can reduce unnecessary spending and prevent them from being left with footwear they cannot use.
For Biton, the project also has a personal connection. Coverage of the Israeli launch has highlighted how his rehabilitation and experience living with an amputation gave him first-hand knowledge of everyday accessibility problems, including the difficulty of having to buy shoes in pairs.
WHO’s May 2026 assessment found that 2,277 amputees had been evaluated between September 2024 and May 2026, while 502 had been fitted with prosthetics. The organisation also reported major shortages in rehabilitation capacity and assistive products. Against that background, Biton’s role in the Adidas campaign has fuelled a wider online debate about disability, war and the people global brands choose to feature in accessibility campaigns.
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