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🇵🇾 Paraguay /Sports

Football Returns to Palestinian Territories Amid Mourning

From ABC Color · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

In-depth Named sources Outcome reported
  • Palestinian football competitions have resumed for the first time since the war between Israel and Hamas began on Oct. 7, 2023.
  • The Palestinian Football Association launched the Cup of a Thousand Martyrs across the West Bank, Gaza and Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon.
  • The tournament honors 1,014 athletes whom the association says died during the hostilities, while Gaza’s damaged facilities and displaced-persons camps continue to limit play.

After three years spent commemorating footballers killed in Gaza, commentator Jalil Jadallah finally returned to his microphone on Friday. Football competitions have resumed in the Palestinian territories for the first time since the war began.

The Palestinian Football Association launched the Cup of a Thousand Martyrs simultaneously in the occupied West Bank, the Gaza Strip and Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon. The association dedicated the tournament to 1,014 athletes it says died during the hostilities.

I spent the last years of my career paying tribute to the players whose goals I used to narrate.

· Jalil JadallahThe commentator described returning to football coverage after years spent honoring players killed in Gaza.

Jadallah called the return both joyful and painful as he commentated on the opening match in Al-Ram, in the West Bank. “I spent the last years of my career paying tribute to the players whose goals I used to narrate,” he told AFP. He described “the joy of returning after this absence and the sadness of having lost players, fans, officials and referees.”

In Deir al-Balah, in central Gaza, Khadamat Rafah played Shabab Rafah as the competition began there. Israeli bombardments have devastated many sports facilities, and displaced people still occupy several fields with tents. Dozens of spectators watched from plastic chairs around a small five-a-side pitch lined with palm trees.

The joy of returning after this absence and the sadness of having lost players, fans, officials and referees.

· Jalil JadallahHe described the emotions surrounding the tournament’s return.

“Football represented life for us before the war,” said Jalil Matar, a Khadamat Rafah player. “After the war, the lives of footballers stopped completely. With this cup, we honor the memory of our teammates who shared the field with us.” The tournament includes 226 clubs: 146 in the occupied West Bank, 44 in Gaza and 36 in Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon.

Before kickoff in Al-Ram, officials unveiled a monument bearing the names of athletes killed during the war outside the federation headquarters, beside the city stadium and near the separation wall between Jerusalem and the West Bank. Palestinian security forces deployed around the stadium, an area where Israeli forces regularly conduct raids. Palestinian football authorities have accused Israel of killing players and damaging Gaza’s sports infrastructure. Israel’s military said on July 22 that about a dozen Palestinian football figures killed during the war belonged to armed groups, an allegation rejected by the federation.

Football represented life for us before the war. After the war, the lives of footballers stopped completely. With this cup, we honor the memory of our teammates who shared the field with us.

· Jalil MatarThe Khadamat Rafah player spoke about the tournament in Deir al-Balah.
About this summary

Originally published by ABC Color in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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