DistantNews
Support us
Football Team Offers Hope and Recovery for Women Amputees in Gaza
🇬🇷 Greece /Good News

Football Team Offers Hope and Recovery for Women Amputees in Gaza

From Ta Nea · () Greek

Translated from Greek, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Ongoing story
  • Football has become a source of recovery and empowerment for women in Gaza who lost limbs or sustained severe injuries during the war.
  • The Palestine Association Women’s Amputee Football Team, based in Deir el-Balah, comprises 11 players, most with lower-limb amputations.
  • For these women, football offers a path to reintegrate into society, regain confidence, and look toward the future with optimism despite immense challenges.

In the midst of daily life marked by war, football has emerged as a vital means of recovery and psychological strengthening for a group of women in Gaza. These athletes have lost limbs or suffered severe injuries during the ongoing conflict.

The Palestine Association Women’s Amputee Football Team, based in Deir el-Balah, currently consists of 11 players. Nine players have lower-limb amputations, while two with upper-limb amputations serve as goalkeepers. The team was established to help women reintegrate into society and rebuild their self-confidence through sports.

Among the players is 23-year-old Farah Abu Kinaas, who lost her left leg in an airstrike in 2024. After months of isolation and rehabilitation, she discovered the team and found a new motivation for life through football. Another player, Rozan Khayra, also lost a limb due to a bombing.

"The occupation amputated our bodies, but it could not amputate our dreams or our will to live," Khayra stated. Despite significant difficulties and limited infrastructure, the team continues to train with the support of the local community. For these women, football is more than just a sport; it is a way to overcome trauma, regain self-assurance, and embrace the future with hope.

The occupation amputated our bodies, but it could not amputate our dreams or our will to live.

— Rozan KhayraA player on the women's amputee football team in Gaza, reflecting on the impact of the conflict.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Ta Nea in Greek. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

More Stories

From Our Blog