Storm Byron struck the Gaza Strip, which lay in ruins, sweeping away tents and makeshift structures. The half-starved, war-weary Palestinians were hit by hurricane-force winds and torrents of icy water. Many had neither blankets nor warm clothes. Rushing people tried to warm freezing children, save drowning belongings, and simply save their lives. Even when you imagine this picture, you feel uneasy. But soon after the devastating storm, the Palestinians had a real outlet…
“In Gaza, about 50 men, teenagers and boys made their way through the storm and mud of flooded streets to a makeshift café in a tent on the outskirts of Khan Younis,” The New York Times reported, “where a technician was frantically trying to broadcast a live game on a large TV powered by solar panels and batteries, and the café owner was throwing cardboard boxes and scraps of paper onto the fire to make hot drinks and warm the room.”
These people gathered to support the Palestinian national team, which reached the quarter-finals of the Arab Nations Cup for the first time in Qatar. Her opponent was the Saudi Arabian team, which made it to the 2026 World Cup.
The irony of fate is that there is no state of Palestine, but there is a team. True, she did not achieve much success. But she has thousands of loyal fans.
Among the fans there are many who were left homeless and lost their loved ones. But watching the match, they smiled, shivering from the cold, clutching Palestinian flags in their hands. Football became an opportunity for them to forget about grief and adversity. At least for the duration of the game.
Troubles did not spare Palestinian football players either. Team captain Mohamed Saleh said his home in Gaza was destroyed. His mother and younger brother moved to Qatar, where he plays for the club “Al-Rayyan” But my father and older brother remained in the sector. The football player is worried about their fate.
The game in Qatar was watched not only in Gaza, but also in the West Bank. In Ramallah, dozens of people gathered at the Maramia restaurant located in a shopping center. Among them were those who were indifferent to football. But they were also captured by a frantic passion.
A correspondent for The New York Times said that Hanin Taher did not come to the restaurant to watch football – she wanted to chat with friends. But during the conversation, the woman increasingly glanced at the screen, and then realized that she could no longer tear herself away from it. “What kept me going was the overall feeling of joy and unity among people,” she said. “For the first time in a long time, I was free of sadness.”
Mahmoud Erekat shared his emotions: “I’m glad that I can worry about my national team, like the rest of the world,” he said. “The Palestinians really miss this feeling and need it.”
The spectators were desperately rooting for the Palestinian national team, but most of all they were worried about goalkeeper Rami Hamad. He played brilliantly, every now and then saving his goal from attacks by the Saudis. But he still missed one goal – from the penalty spot. The spectators fell silent, but after a few minutes the sadness gave way to joy – Palestinian forward Oday Dabbagh equalized the score.
In the tent in Khan Younis, as in other Palestinian places, people cheered, jumping out of their chairs and clapping their hands. And some sang and danced. They danced the “dabka”, which is usually performed at family celebrations and farewells to the war. But the war itself was not remembered on TV – for the first time in many months.
In a cafe in Kfar Qasem, an Israeli city populated mainly by Arabs, one TV was showing a match between Palestine and Saudi Arabia, and another was showing a Europa League match between Stuttgart and Maccabi Tel Aviv. Someone joked: “This is peaceful coexistence.”
The main time of the match between Palestine and Saudi Arabia ended in a draw – 1:1. In an additional half hour, the stubborn struggle continued. But the Saudi Arabian team managed to score the decisive goal five minutes before the end of overtime. The Palestinian fans met this disappointment in deep silence. But they were still grateful to their team.
After the game, the residents of Gazan walked through the mud in pitch darkness to their wet, cold homes. The gloomy reality enveloped them again, but they will remember this football match for a long time, which gave them so many positive emotions…
FIFA President Gianni Infantino promised that his organization will help restore football in the Gaza Strip. However, this could happen if they stop shooting there. But silence in the enclave rarely comes.
Gaza once had sports fields and stadiums. Boys played balls on them and matches of the Gaza Strip Premier League were played. But war broke out, and Israeli missiles destroyed sports facilities, including the oldest arena, Yarmouk, built in 1952. And what was left of the stadiums was razed to the ground by bulldozers.
In the recent past, another Palestinian league, the West Bank, also held matches. But only memories remain from this tournament.
Several hundred Palestinian athletes died during the Gaza war. Among them are football players: Mohammed Berakat and Shadi Ebul from the Khan Yunus club, Abu al-Atta, who played in Al-Ahli Gaza, Hani al-Masdara from Abu Abad…
Now Palestinians live in hope that their suffering will one day end. In the meantime, they are happy with at least small gifts from fate. A vibrant football spectacle is just that.
Photo rmcsport.bfmtv
Special for the Centenary
