Refugee camps in the Gaza Strip, the West Bank and Lebanon hosted the opening matches of a tournament marking the return of Palestinian clubs to the field after a break of nearly three years. The matches in the Thousand Martyrs Cup, organized by the Palestine Football Association, were played simultaneously in the three regions.
Services Rafah faced Shabab Rafah at the Deir al-Balah Union Club Stadium in the central Gaza Strip. In the West Bank, Jabal al-Mukaber faced Shabab al-Khalil at Faisal Al-Husseini International Stadium in the town of al-Ram, north of Jerusalem.
The opening match in Lebanon was played between Al-Ansar and Al-Nahda at Abu Jihad al-Wazir Stadium in the Ein el-Hilweh refugee camp in the south of the country. The group-stage draw for the tournament, which includes a total of 244 clubs from the West Bank, Gaza and the diaspora, was held simultaneously on September 1 at the federation’s various branches.
The cup honors athletes who lost their lives
The federation is organizing the tournament to honor Palestinian athletes killed by Israel during the war on the Gaza Strip. The event was therefore named the Thousand Martyrs Cup.
Mustafa Siam, secretary-general of the Palestinian Sports Media Association, said the tournament symbolized the resumption of sporting activities after a break lasting more than three seasons. Siam said the war had also targeted sports infrastructure in addition to Palestinian athletes, adding that more than 1,000 athletes, including players, coaches and referees, had lost their lives.
Siam said the cup was being held in memory of those who lost their lives in the sports movement and showed that sporting life had returned, albeit on a limited basis.
Football’s return in Gaza takes center stage
The resumption of matches in Gaza comes after the heavy loss of life and destruction suffered by Palestinian sports during the war launched by Israel in October 2023. Clubs and players in the West Bank were also deprived for three seasons of the opportunity to train regularly, travel and play matches.
The tournament in Lebanon is being organized by the federation’s diaspora branch and mainly involves Palestinian clubs operating in refugee camps. The Palestine Football Association announced that the tournament would pave the way for the gradual resumption of domestic leagues and cups.
