Palestinians in Gaza celebrated Spain's World Cup victory, gathering at cafes and outdoor screenings to support the Spanish team, which they embraced due to Spain's vocal backing for Palestinian rights. The competition became more than a football showdown amid Israel's war on Gaza.
Spain's Support for Palestine Drives Fan Loyalty
Spain has been among Europe's most vocal critics of Israel's war on Gaza and state-backed violence in the occupied West Bank. It is pushing for stronger European Union action over human rights violations, including suspension of a broad free trade pact. Many Gazans waved Spanish flags and paid tribute to teenage star Lamine Yamal, who brought a Palestinian flag to celebrations for Barcelona's La Liga win in May. The Gaza al-Irada amputee football team wrote in a pre-game video message: "Whoever raises the Palestinian flag deserves to raise the World Cup."
Saadi al-Masri, 40, captain of the amputee team, watched the game with friends in a cafe. "I support Spain because we see it as a country that stands with the Palestinian cause and supports Palestinian rights," he said.
Israeli Response and Political Context
Israeli support for Argentina was led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who posted a good luck message for the team ahead of the final. When Israel's defense minister attacked Yamal for raising the Palestinian flag, accusing him of "inciting hatred," Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez defended the young player. "Lamine has only expressed the solidarity with Palestine that is felt by millions of us in Spain. Another reason to be proud of him," Sánchez said in a social media post.
The Palestinian delegation to the United Nations responded with an image of the Spanish team under the headline "world champions."
Challenges for Gazans Following the Tournament
Most of the 2 million Palestinians in Gaza live in tent camps after Israeli attacks destroyed their homes, with little access to power or internet connections. Arkan al-Walaida, 23, went to internet cafes to seek out match highlights each morning during the tournament, looking for short videos on TikTok or FIFA's official YouTube and Instagram pages. When she found out on Monday that Spain had won, she was overwhelmed. "Honestly, I felt like I was about to cry from happiness," she said. "We see their support as a sign of humanity."
Al-Masri watched the match at a cafe packed with an excited crowd. "We were very happy when the final whistle confirmed Spain's victory," he said, but fear of Israeli airstrikes meant there were no late-night parties.
Deadly Strikes Hit World Cup Screenings
In early July, an Israeli bomb killed Mohamed al-Wahidi, a Palestinian aid worker who organized screenings of World Cup matches in Gaza. The strike, just before the game between Egypt and Argentina, also killed brothers aged eight and 10, and a second man. The Israeli military confirmed the attack but said it had not targeted al-Wahidi.
