The systematic destruction of Gaza's football stadiums
Most of Gaza’s most prominent football stadiums have been damaged or destroyed in the wake of Israel’s ongoing destruction of the besieged strip.
Welcome to Sports Politika, a newsletter and media platform focused on the intersection of sports, power and politics. This newsletter was founded by investigative journalist and researcher Karim Zidan and relies on the support of readers like you.
If you have not done so already, please consider becoming a paid subscriber.
In Gaza, football, like all facets of life, continues to suffer the devastating effects of repeated wars with Israel.
During the Israeli offensive on the Gaza Strip in late 2008—known as Operation Cast Lead or the Gaza Massacre, depending on who you ask—Israeli forces demolished 15 sports facilities and killed 11 Palestinian athletes during the three week conflict. Four years later, Israeli airstrikes severely damaged Gaza's largest sports arenas, the Yarmouk and Palestine stadiums.
In 2014, another Israeli military campaign in Gaza resulted in more than 30 sports facilities suffering varying degrees of damage, while 16 Palestinian athletes were among the approximately 2000 Palestinians killed.
However, the latest iteration of the Israel-Hamas war has inflicted an unprecedented toll on Gaza. More than 29,000 Palestinians have been killed, including at least 12,600 children, while more than 1.2 million others have been displaced. Half a million people in Gaza face starvation and all 2.3 million are experiencing acute food shortage, according to figures from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
Furthermore, satellite imagery analyzed by the United Nations Satellite Centre in January shows that 30% of the buildings in Gaza have been destroyed or damaged in the Israel offensive in the densely populated Palestinian enclave. Further analysis conducted by the BBC suggested that between 144,000 and 175,000 buildings across the whole Gaza Strip have been damaged or destroyed, which is between 50% and 61% of Gaza’s buildings.
The extraordinary devastation wrought by the Israel Defense Force (IDF) has resulted in the decimation of Gaza's sports infrastructure. Most of Gaza’s major football stadiums and sports facilities have been partially damaged or destroyed, while smaller facilities and dirt pitches have been transformed into makeshift refugee camps, field hospitals, and mass graves.
Here is what we know about some of the stadiums:
Palestine Stadium (Al-Rimal, Gaza City)
The Palestine Stadium—a regular venue for the Palestine national team—is located in Al Rimal, once deemed the most affluent neighborhood in Gaza City before its devastation following the events of Oct. 7.
While it is unclear when the stadium came under attack photos that highlighted the devastation within the stadium were published by various Palestinian sports officials Jan. 8, 2024.
This isn’t the first time that the 10,000 seat stadium has come under fire from Israel. The stadium was bombed as part of an IDF military offensive in 2012, leaving a large crater in the middle of the field. Despite unsubstantiated claims from Israel’s ambassador to Switzerland at the time that the football stadium had been used as a missile launching pad, FIFA pledged to help rebuild the Palestine Stadium.
"We see it our mandate to rebuild football infrastructure which has been destroyed," FIFA secretary-general Jerome Valcke said at the time. "We will also rebuild the stadium in Gaza, which has been destroyed.
"Football brings people together and we will support any re-construction necessary when football infrastructure is destroyed through disasters," added Valcke.
A group of football stars later called for Israel to be stripped of hosting rights for 2013 UEFA Under 21 tournament in 2013 following the attacks that damaged the stadium.
“We, as European football players, express our solidarity with the people of Gaza who are living under siege and denied basic human dignity and freedom,” read the statement signed by 52 players, including Eden Hazard, Papiss Cisse and Demba Ba. “The latest Israeli bombardment of Gaza, resulting in the death of over a hundred civilians, was yet another stain on the world’s conscience.”
Beit Hanoun Municipal Stadium (North Gaza)
Last week, Ittihad Beit Hanoun SC—the sports club based at the Beit Hanoun Stadium in North Gaza—posted a timelapse video of satellite imagery showing the destruction of the club’s stadium. The video is dated Jan. 7, 2024, though the stadium was damaged months prior.
On November 26, 2023, Ittihad Beit Hanoun SC posted a photo on its social media accounts which revealed that revealed the extent of the damage on its football pitch, which was one of the few made of artificial grass. The picture included a caption with three broken heart emojis.
Gaza Sports Club Stadium (North Gaza)
On Tuesday, December 6, 2022, representatives of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) celebrated the completion of the recently expanded and upgraded Gaza Sports Club project.
USAID invested approximately $520,000 in the renovations, which were expected to benefit more than 4000 Gazans, the vast majority of whom were female.
Less than two years after its completion, the Gaza Sports Club, along with its football stadium, were destroyed as part of the IDF’s offensive in North Gaza.
On Feb 4, 2024, Susan Shalabi, the vice president of the Palestinian Football Federation, posted a video showing the club in ruins, along with the caption: ““Gaza AlRiyadhi” Sport club, built with USAID funds, after a visit by the “world’s most ethical” Israeli army.”
Al Hilal Sporting Club Stadium (West Gaza)
On February 2, 2024, Al Hilal SC shared footage depicting the aftermath of Israel's bombardment on the club and its adjacent football pitch. The posts featured a video showcasing the extensive damage inflicted on the club's headquarters.
Al-Yarmouk Stadium (Gaza City)
Al Yarmouk Stadium among the oldest in Gaza. It was built in 1952 under the auspices of the Egyptian monarchy, which occupied and governed the coastal strip at the time. Over the years, it has evolved into a pivotal hub for Palestinian sports, accommodating various sporting clubs and boasting stands with a capacity for up to 10,000 spectators.
Its substantial size has not only made it a prominent venue for sports events but also a popular choice for hosting festivals, weddings, and other celebratory gatherings in Gaza.
However, on December 26, 2023, harrowing footage emerged showing Israeli troops turning Yarmouk stadium into a makeshift internment camp for Palestinian detainees. Dozens of men, women and children were rounded up, stripped down to their underwear, and blindfolded while armed soldiers and tanks encircled the field. A soldier carrying a baby wrapped in a blanket could be seen at the end of the video.
More footage continued to emerge, including photos showing tanks patrolling the field, soldiers posing in front of a group of detained women and children, and blindfolded men and women forced to kneel in front of a goal with the Israeli flag attached to the netting.
In addition to the atrocities witnessed within Yarmouk stadium, Israeli forces further solidified its devastation by employing tanks and bulldozers to level the pitch.
On January 26, 2024, the Higher Council for Youth and Sports in Palestine revealed that the Khan Yunus Municipal Stadium had been damaged as part of Israel’s military offensive.
The stadium was among the oldest in Gaza and once bore the name of Egypt’s former president Gamal Abdel Nasser, having been built in 1952 during Egypt’s occupation of Gaza.
Beyond Gaza’s football stadiums, the Palestine Football Association headquarters was also targeted by Israeli airstrikes. Meanwhile, facilities such as Al-Dorra Stadium in Deir al-Balah—a city in central Gaza—was being used as a refugee camp for displaced Gazans as recently as January.
"How can a stadium be a sanctuary for people during war times? The stadium is roofless and is close to the sea. It's freezing here,” Ahmed Hijazi, the director of Gaza’s only local sports channel who is currently taking refuge in Al-Dorra, told The New Arab. “It is a miserable life for the people here. They are not provided with anything. Only a little water and aid are coming in for them."
Last week, at least 40 people, including several infants, were killed after coming under Israeli shelling on residential homes in Deir al-Balah. It was one of the deadliest attacks in recent days.
The relentless destruction perpetrated by Israel in the besieged strip of Gaza has left an indelible mark on the region's sporting infrastructure. Not only have all of Gaza's most prominent football stadiums suffered significant damage, but many have been completely obliterated. This widespread destruction underscores the immense human cost of war on Gaza, as well as the devastation of its cultural identity.
Sports Politika is a newsletter about the intersection of sports, power and politics. If you like what you see, upgrade to a paid subscription ( or gift a subscription if you already have your own). We would appreciate if you could also like the post and let us know what you think in the comment section below.
Excellent and important work Karim!