Note: Single-source report; awaiting corroboration.
In the Al-Mawasi area west of Khan Younis, displaced residents organize football matches on improvised pitches surrounded by tents and scarce resources. Asaad Al-Azzabi, a former Al-Tajammu Club player from Rafah, often relies on borrowed or patched-up boots to play. He currently lives alone in a tent at Al-Rahma Camp, a shelter for displaced people from Rafah with limited access to sanitation and clean water, while his family receives medical care abroad.
United Nations data estimates around 1.7 million people reside in approximately 1,600 displacement sites across Gaza, often in temporary or informal settings. Residents depend on water deliveries by truck and face shortages of essential equipment, fuel, and repair materials. Despite these hardships, football matches between camps like Al-Rahma and nearby Sheikh Al-Eid continue, offering moments of relief and community.
Referee Alaa Abu Taha, associated with the Palestinian Football Association and also displaced from Rafah, calls football the "only outlet" for many in Gaza. With hundreds of sports facilities damaged and the loss of athletes, including footballers, due to ongoing conflict, players rely on creativity and limited resources. Pitches originally meant for basketball or volleyball are adapted for football matches by the community.
These games attract displaced residents, many joining after long waits for basics like food, water, or battery charging. The events provide rare opportunities for socializing and joy amid persistent challenges, highlighting resilience despite scarcity and destruction.
Football in Gaza's displacement camps shows how sport remains vital, fostering hope and connection during an ongoing crisis.