Israel has turned sport into a target of war over the past two years

At a time when sport is considered a fair and equitable human space that transcends borders, the reality in the Gaza Strip reveals one of Israel’s most systematic attacks on Palestinian sports infrastructure and society since the war began nearly two years ago.

Figures released by the Football Association confirm the extent of the widespread destruction that has affected everything related to sport: facilities have been completely demolished, stadiums have been turned into detention centres, and hundreds of athletes have been killed or injured during the aggression.

Unprecedented human losses in Gaza

The latest statistics from the Gaza Sports Federation indicate that the Israeli aggression has killed more than 774 athletes since the start of the war, including a large number of children and hundreds of facilities and club headquarters, making the sports sector one of the most affected civilian sectors.

The losses are not limited to athletes and players, but also include referees, coaches and administrators, many of whom have been lost to Palestinian sport, creating a void that will be difficult to fill in the near future.

Total destruction of sports infrastructure

Sports facilities that witnessed a long history of championships, activities and competitions have now been reduced to ruins. According to the Sports Federation, 285 sports facilities have been completely or partially destroyed, while the Government Media Office has documented 292 destroyed facilities, including stadiums, halls and administrative headquarters.

Among the most damaged facilities are:

1. Palestine Stadium

The largest and most famous stadium in Gaza, with a capacity of 10,000 spectators, it has hosted international and historic matches. Satellite images from September show tents crowded inside after it was turned into a displacement centre following the complete destruction of its facilities. Palestine Stadium hosted the historic match between the Palestinian national team and Egypt’s Zamalek Club in 2000, as well as Jordan’s Al-Wehdat Club when it faced Shajaiya in the Asian Cup Winners’ Cup. Satellite images taken on 29 September show tents crammed into the stadium, which has been turned into a refugee camp after all its facilities were destroyed by continuous bombing.

2. Yarmouk Stadium

One of the oldest stadiums in Palestine (founded in 1952), it can accommodate approximately 15,000 fans. Its facilities were destroyed and it became a gathering place for displaced persons. It was also used in the past as a detention centre by the occupying forces.

3. Al-Sudaniya Stadiums

This area is home to major clubs such as Gaza Sports Club and Al-Hilal, but its landmarks have completely disappeared from satellite images.

4. Beit Lahia and Beit Hanoun Stadiums

Both have been completely destroyed, and their pitches and facilities have disappeared, with no possibility of a return to sporting activity in the near future.

5. Khan Yunis Sports City

It was invaded by occupation forces and completely bulldozed in early 2024, in one of the biggest losses to a sports facility in the southern Gaza Strip.

6. Rafah Municipal Stadium

Founded in 1953, it was turned into a shelter for displaced persons for long periods before the city was evacuated.

7. Five-a-side football pitches

These are the most widespread in Gaza and were a source of recreation for children and young people. According to the Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Observatory, the occupation destroyed more than 300 five-a-side football pitches, as well as 22 swimming pools and 28 fitness centres.

Sport: from a space for life to a scene of disaster

Israel did not stop at bombing and bulldozing; many playgrounds were turned into detention and torture centres, according to testimonies and human rights reports. In other areas, displaced people took refuge in the playgrounds, despite their destruction, in search of temporary shelter, turning sports facilities into overcrowded camps instead of centres for activities and tournaments.

Two years of ongoing crimes have led to widespread international campaigns calling for Israel’s sporting isolation. European club fans have raised slogans such as:

• ‘Red card for Israel’
• ‘Stop the genocide’
• ‘Show Israel the red card’

International players from the Athletes 4 Peace initiative, such as Paul Pogba and Hakim Ziyech, joined in, calling for Israel’s participation in all international sporting events to be suspended.
On 23 September, UN experts issued a report calling on FIFA and UEFA to immediately exclude Israel due to documented crimes and the targeting of civilian infrastructure and athletes.

FIFA and UEFA’s position – awkward silence and clear selectivity

On 2 October, FIFA President Gianni Infantino said that sport ‘cannot solve geopolitical conflicts,’ while UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin merely expressed sorrow for the suffering of civilians, refusing to impose any sanctions on Israeli clubs and players.

This stance sparked widespread outrage, especially since UEFA decided to freeze Russia’s participation in its tournaments a few days after the start of the war in Ukraine, while taking no action against Israel despite thousands of martyrs and unprecedented destruction of civilian and sports infrastructure.

Sport between extermination and the will to live in Gaza

Two years of war have shown that sport in Gaza has been a direct target, not collateral damage. The stadiums where children’s dreams were born and Palestine’s most prominent stars graduated from have been turned into ashes or detention centres. With the silence of international sports institutions, Palestinian sport seems to be facing a complete eradication, going beyond physical destruction to the destruction of the memory, identity and future opportunities of an entire generation.

Featured image via the Canary