Published on: 2026-06-01
Source: United Nations – United Nations –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
At the Gaz match, organized by a former professional footballer, it became for thousands of residents an opportunity to briefly distract themselves from the harsh reality of life in an overcrowded tent, school, and damaged buildings.
Loaned boots
In the Al-Mawassi area, where sandy spaces are dotted with tents, and long lines are formed behind water and food, Asaad al-Azzabi is preparing for the match, quite unlike those he is used to before. Before the war, al-Azzabi played for the football club “At-Tadjammo” in Rafah. Back then, the team had football fields, training halls, coaches, and essential equipment at their disposal. Today, he will be lucky if he manages to find suitable footwear for playing. “Sometimes I borrow a pair from a friend or just tape my old boots with duct tape,” he says.
Al-Azzabi currently lives in the “Ar-Ramtha” camp, where people displaced from Raqqa have found refuge. Al-Azzabi lives alone: his wife, together with their son suffering from cancer, went to Jordan to undergo treatment there.
Conditions in the camp remain extremely difficult. According to the UN, about 1.7 million people live in approximately 1,600 locations of displaced persons throughout the Gaza Strip, most of which are temporary or spontaneous settlements. Moreover, access to clean water and sanitation services there is extremely limited: most residents depend on water delivered by tanker trucks and are forced to cope with the consequences of restrictions on the import of equipment, fuel, and materials needed for infrastructure repairs.
Despite the everyday difficulties associated with providing the most basic necessities, Al-Azzabi is preparing for the match with a team from a neighboring camp. Before the game starts, he explains the tactics to his team, drawing them right on the sand, after which the players set off on foot to the field located amidst the tents.
This match is more than just a sporting competition. For its participants and spectators, it becomes an opportunity to briefly distract themselves from the burdens of everyday life in the camp.
Children and young people gather around the improvised sandy field, supporting the players with applause. Some footballers dress for the match after several hours spent in a queue for food, water, or possibly the opportunity to recharge batteries.
Creating possibilities out of nothing
Alaa Abu Talha, an arbitrator of the Palestinian Football Association and a resident of Rafah who became a forced migrant, says that football has become the “only solace” for many residents of Gaza.
“Even with the most limited resources, we try to play. There is practically no sports infrastructure left. The court we are standing on was originally intended for basketball and volleyball, but our people know how to create opportunities literally out of nothing,” he said.
Since the beginning of the war, the sports sector of Gaza has suffered massive losses. According to the Palestinian Football Association, hundreds of athletes have died. Significant damage was also inflicted on the sports infrastructure: playing fields, sports facilities, and training halls were damaged or destroyed. However, even these losses did not prevent the residents of Al-Mawasi from organizing a championship between camps for displaced persons.
Match day
The match begins in the presence of a small group of spectators, including displaced persons. Al-Azzabi is on the field wearing shoes that had to be taped with duct tape. As a result of the match, the Al-Azzabi team wins with a score of 2:1. After the final whistle, young people lift him and his teammates onto their shoulders, while children and teenagers celebrate the victory in the middle of the tents. For a few moments, the everyday hardships of life recede into the background, and football becomes a rare occasion for joy.
“In these difficult conditions, the opportunity to take the field and play such a match means a lot to us,” said Al-Azzabi. “I congratulate our team on the victory. I dedicate this championship to my wife and son, who are in Jordan, and I wish my son a speedy recovery.”
For him, this victory means much more than just a sporting success. It is a message to the family living far away from him, and an attempt to heal the part of his former life as a football player — a life that existed before the war.
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