Amid the devastation of Gaza, a worn-out five-a-side pitch became a beacon of resilience as the strip hosted its first organised football tournament in over two years.
On a patch of artificial turf cleared of rubble in the ruins of Gaza City’s Tal al-Hawa district, Jabalia Youth faced Al-Sadaqa, while Beit Hanoun took on Al-Shujaiya.
Both matches ended in draws, yet the spectators, including boys peering through holes in concrete walls and a drummer setting the rhythm, cheered enthusiastically, shaking the chain-link fence surrounding the Palestine pitch.
Youssef Jendiya, 21, a player for Jabalia Youth from an area largely depopulated by Israeli forces, described his feelings as he returned to the pitch as “Confused. Happy, sad, joyful, happy.”
He articulated the stark contrast of daily life: “People search for water in the morning: food, bread. Life is a little difficult. But there is a little left of the day, when you can come and play soccer and express some of the joy inside you.”
However, the joy was incomplete, as he added, “You come to the stadium missing many of your teammates… killed, injured, or those who travelled for treatment.”
Four months after a ceasefire halted major fighting, reconstruction remains almost non-existent. At least 556 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli strikes since the ceasefire started in October, according to Gaza’s health ministry.
Israeli forces have ordered residents out of nearly two-thirds of the strip, forcing over 2 million people into a narrow coastal area, many living in makeshift tents or damaged buildings.
A former 9,000-seat venue, Yarmouk Stadium, was levelled by Israeli forces and used as a detention centre. It now houses displaced families in white tents on what was once its pitch.
For this tournament, the Football Association managed to clear debris from a collapsed wall, erect a fence, and sweep the old artificial turf.
Amjad Abu Awda, 31, a player for Beit Hanoun, stated the teams were “delivering a message. That no matter what happened in terms of destruction and genocidal war, we continue with playing, and with life. Life must continue.”
