Palestinian Football Federation launches 'Thousand Martyrs Cup' tournament after Israeli attacks

The opening matches of the tournament organized by the Palestine Football Federation were played simultaneously in three regions.

244 clubs are participating in the football tournament called "Thousand Martyrs Cup" in memory of the 1014 Palestinian athletes killed in Israel's ongoing attacks in Gaza.

Mustafa Siyam, Secretary General of the Palestinian Sports Media Association, said in a statement to AA that the tournament started with the participation of more than 240 clubs in refugee camps in Gaza, the West Bank and Lebanon.

Siyam stated that the tournament marked a return to sporting activities after a break of more than three seasons due to Israel's genocide against Gaza.

Pointing out that sports infrastructure and athletes were targeted in Israeli attacks, Siyam noted that they were trying to give the message that sports had revived, albeit partially, with the tournament, that the Palestinian people had suffered genocide and that Palestinian sports was facing an existential war.

Stating that organizing a tournament in the Palestinian territories and the diaspora shows that Palestinian sports are a single body, Siyam said that they want to show the world that Palestinian football players have the right to play football like all athletes.

The tournament has a symbolic meaning

The tournament in question has a symbolic meaning for Gaza, which suffered great damage and losses in sports as well as in all areas of life during Israeli attacks.

Finally, with the death of Cibaliya Services Club player Abdulfettah Abu al-Aysh in the attack in the Tel el-Heva District in the southwest of Gaza city on August 29, the number of athletes killed in Gaza reached 1014.

265 sports facilities were destroyed in the attacks and a large part of Gaza's infrastructure was damaged. Football matches started under extraordinary conditions after 3 years due to the lack of suitable stadiums and facilities.

The Palestine Football Federation decided to restart football matches gradually after this long break.

There were no competitions for 3 seasons because the tension in the West Bank, which escalated with the attacks of Israeli soldiers and Israelis who usurped Palestinian lands, prevented clubs and players from training, traveling and organizing regular matches.

Clubs in the West Bank started training again a few months ago after this long break, which retarded the athletic development of Palestinian athletes, and the Palestinian Football Federation held its first meeting with club representatives last July.

In Lebanon, tournament matches are organized with the participation of Palestinian clubs operating mainly in refugee camps, through the diaspora branch of the Palestinian Football Federation.