The first post-war football tournament in Gaza was held in Khan Younis

While dozens of Palestinians gathered around the field between the tents to watch the match in the Mevasi region of Khan Younis city in the south of the Gaza Strip, some of the children and women followed the match by climbing on the roofs of the buildings that were partially destroyed in the Israeli attacks.

Footballers whose fields were destroyed or had to leave their regions due to the war also had the opportunity to play football again with the match.

One of the first steps towards the revival of sports activities in Gaza was taken in March 2026, and the first official 5-man football tournament was organized in the 3 fields that survived the attacks.

According to the data announced by the Palestinian Sports Media Association in July, approximately 1012 athletes lost their lives in Israeli attacks and 285 sports facilities and fields in the Gaza Strip were destroyed.

"We wanted to bring people some joy"

The organizer of the match, Yunus Abu Sehlul, said in a statement to AA that he approached him to organize a match in Khan Yunus after the two teams were away from their home fields due to the war.

Stating that they organized the match to bring joy, albeit short-term, to the Palestinians living under the effects of destruction and displacement, Abu Sehlul stated that holding the match among the tents in Mevasi, where thousands of displaced people live, reflects people's desire to regain a part of their daily lives.

Abu Sehlul explained that football players had to use empty and sandy areas to play matches due to the destruction of most of the grass fields and sports clubs.

Calling for support from Palestinian football-related institutions to revitalize sports activities in Gaza, Abu Sehlul emphasized that the sports infrastructure in the region should be revived.

Abu Sahlul also called on FIFA, the Arab Football Union and the Arab League to support Palestinian football.

"The match gave us hope again"

Ahmed al-Lulahi, who plays for the Welfare City Stars team, said that the friendly match gave the players the opportunity to release their energy and the spectators to get away from the harsh conditions of the war, even for a while.

Stating that such matches are organized with individual initiatives and personal means, Lulahi hoped that the matches will contribute to creating hope again in Gaza.

Although a ceasefire has been in effect in the Gaza Strip since October 10, 2025, Israel's attacks on the region continue.

According to Palestinian sources, more than 74 thousand Palestinians have died in the Gaza Strip as a result of Israeli attacks since October 2023, more than 175 thousand people have been injured, and most of the infrastructure in the region has been destroyed.