Amid Gaza's Rubble, Orphaned Children Find Solace in a Football

Mohammed Eyad Azzam, 16, recalls being a "spoiled" child until an Israeli airstrike in Gaza killed his family, leaving him as the sole caretaker for his elderly grandmother.

On the morning of October 11, 2024, Mohammed was at home with his parents and brothers in the Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza when Israeli fighter jets suddenly bombed, leveling the family's multi-story building. "I was sitting safely with my parents and two brothers… I was buried under the rubble for about 10 minutes. It was terrible pain," he told Al Jazeera.

His grandmother dug him out, and the next thing he remembers is waking up in a neighbor's house with a respirator. "I survived by a miracle," he said. Unable to hold a funeral at the cemetery due to continuous bombing, Mohammed buried his parents and brothers in a small makeshift plot.

Overnight, the teenager was thrust into adulthood, living among thousands of displaced people in the Shati camp in northern Gaza, daily lighting fires and carrying heavy water cans for his grandmother. "My life went from happiness to grief. I was spoiled before; now I have to take responsibility for everything," he said.

Amid immense hardship, Mohammed found an escape in football. Before the war, he was a promising player for the Khadamat Jabalia club. But since Israel launched its genocide campaign in Gaza in October 2023, the club stopped operations, the pitch was destroyed, and many teammates were killed.

Recently, the Palestine Football Association (PFA) organized a tournament for players born in 2009 on one of the few remaining patches of land in Gaza suitable for matches. For Mohammed, putting on his boots and taking to the field was the only way to dispel despair, even though the pitch still evokes haunting memories. "It dispels boredom and releases negative energy," he explained. "Most teammates have brothers and fathers cheering them on. I no longer have anyone to cheer for me; I miss them so much—like missing the sea and the fish."

According to Mustafa Siyam, head of PFA's media department in the southern Gaza provinces, Mohammed's pain symbolizes Israel's systematic destruction of Gaza's sports infrastructure. "Mohammed is one of tens of thousands of talented children who have lost their families, clubs, academies, and education," he said.

Statistics reveal the horrific scale of destruction: The PFA reports more than 1,113 people in the sports field have been killed, including over 560 players, coaches, and managers. 265 sports facilities have been destroyed or damaged over the past two and a half years, and all 56 football clubs in Gaza—from Beit Hanoon in the north to Rafah in the south—have been heavily affected. Mohammed's club, Khadamat Jabalia, was destroyed, and the space was later turned into a detention and interrogation center by Israeli forces.

With major stadiums bombed into ruins or converted into shelters for displaced people, the PFA now holds youth tournaments on three remaining small pitches: Palestine Stadium in Gaza City, Khadamat Nuseirat, and Ittihad Shabab Deir al-Balah. But reaching the field remains a life-threatening challenge. "We have to walk 3-4 kilometers through tents and rubble to get to the pitch. It drains your spirit before you even step on the field," Mohammed said.

Siyam acknowledged the serious risks but insisted football's love will endure: "The security situation remains extremely dangerous. A player walking from a tent to the field can face the risk of a sudden airstrike, but the determination of the players and the association drives us to resume activities. It sends a message to the world that Palestinian youth can rise from the rubble."

The Gaza football community also expressed deep disappointment with FIFA for its lack of support. Siyam pointed out a clear injustice: FIFA quickly suspended Russia and banned its clubs after the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, but took no action against Israel. "For Palestine, unfortunately, there has been no decision; FIFA's stance is very weak," he said. Despite prominent athletes like national team player Suleiman Obaid being killed, and Israeli settler clubs playing on occupied Palestinian land, FIFA has not imposed any sanctions. The PFA is now seeking justice through international sports courts.

While awaiting a permanent ceasefire and Israel opening its borders to allow local talent to join the Palestinian national team, young players like Mohammed cling to the ball to keep the memory of their loved ones alive. "I never imagined I would be completely alone," he said, adding that stepping onto the dirt field helps him preserve his father's legacy. "My dream now is to become a famous professional footballer. Because that is my dream, and it was also the dream of my mother and father, may God have mercy on them. My father signed me up for the club, and my mother always cheered me on."