As Paris Olympics kick off, Gazans seek refuge in soccer

As Paris Olympics kick off, Gazans seek refuge in soccer

By Mahmoud Issa

Inspired by the Olympics worlds away in Paris, some Palestinian youths played soccer against each other at a school sheltering the displaced in the war-torn Gaza Strip -- a rare distraction from devastating Israeli bombardment.

With the world’s gaze on competitions in France, there is no glory or prize for the winning team in the tiny enclave that has been decimated by an Israeli offensive launched after the Hamas militants who rule it staged a cross-border raid on Oct. 7.

The players found a trophy they were looking for -- something to give them even a small sense of accomplishment in the chaos of war -- under the rubble.

It was a painful reminder that Gaza could take years to recover from the bloodshed.

"The whole world is watching it (the Olympics) and excited about it. And I wish for the world to look at us, in the Gaza Strip," said Abu Seif, one of the organisers of the Gaza soccer games where players in red or black compete.

"Nothing is left but (it) was bombed by the Israeli occupation," read a banner held by children standing nearby.

"All our stadiums were destroyed; all our clubs were destroyed. You see the football that we are playing with, a very old ball in the shelter," Abu Seif said.

HEAVY TOLL ON SPORTS

Impoverished Gaza has always had to contend with poor sports facilities and the war has demolished everything from boxing rings to rough, dusty soccer pitches.

But the spirit of athletes has not been broken even as the death toll of Palestinians hammered by the Israel military campaign has exceeded 39,000, according to Gaza authorities.

"We are trying to hold sports activities in this school. We are trying to change the reality of life that we are in and entertain people and children as much as possible," said Mustafa Abu Hashish, who is taking part in the tournament.

The world has been focused on the fighting in Gaza since Hamas attacked southern Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking over 250 hostage, according to Israeli tallies.

Aside from trying to find a safe place to hide from the bombing, Palestinians also face a humanitarian crisis with shortages of food, fuel, water and medicine inflicting suffering every day.

Gaza's 2.3 million people live in one of the world's most densely populated places. Palestinians who have moved up and down Gaza in fear say there is nowhere to hide from Israeli airstrikes.

For now, the Gaza soccer players may be distracted from the airstrikes, shelling and ground invasion. This brief respite may not last if Egyptian, U.S. and Qatari mediators fail to secure a ceasefire after many attempts.

On July 10, an Israeli missile slammed into a tent encampment in southern Gaza just as displaced people had gathered there to watch a football match at a school, eyewitnesses said.

Israel says it goes out of its way to avoid killing civilians.