Gazan footballer loses hope for future amid Israeli genocide

Gazan footballer Hamada Mohammed Hamad, who has lost many loved ones in Israeli bombardments of the Gaza Strip, says he has lost hope for the future.

Speaking to Anadolu, Hamad, whose father suffers from liver cirrhosis and is in critical condition, said they are faced with dire living conditions and starvation due to the Israeli blockade of the enclave.

"There is no future in Gaza. The destruction is too great and the pain is too great. There was a professional football league in Gaza. But after the (Israeli) occupation of Gaza, I have stopped practicing football because of the genocide," he said.

The 22-year-old said he had been playing professionally for seven years but lost his source of income when his club's salary was cut off after the war.

Hamad also said that his teammate Rashid Al-Athamneh was martyred as a result of Israeli attacks.

"Rashid was a close friend of mine and the captain of our team. I went through a challenging period after that. When my father fell ill, I took responsibility for my family," he said.

Emphasizing that many athletes have been martyred in Gaza, he said that former Palestinian national football player Suleiman al-Obeid, nicknamed the "Palestinian Pele," who was killed by Israel while waiting to receive humanitarian aid in Gaza, was just one of these players.

Hamad was the goalkeeper for Ahli Beit Hanoun in the Gaza Strip Division 1 league before Israel started its intense bombing of the enclave.

Discussing how his life has changed since Israel's genocide in Gaza started, he emphasized that sports life in Gaza was simple and wonderful before the attacks.

But no one in Gaza could train anymore due to the difficult conditions and lack of food and water, he said.

"My daily life was entirely about football," he stressed.

"I used to train and constantly prepare for matches. After the October 7th (2023) bombing, my life changed completely. I've been away from football and don't play at all. Nowadays, I carry water, chop wood and take care of my sick father and family."

Hamada said his physical condition has deteriorated due to the lack of food and training.

"In Gaza, I had a small playground where my friends and I would go to play football and stay in shape. But after I was evacuated from Gaza, I never played football again," he added.

Regarding a plan announced by US President Donald Trump to immediately halt the attacks, Hamad said that many promises had been made to the people of Gaza in the past but were never fulfilled.

"There is no future in Gaza. The destruction in Gaza is immense, the pain is immense," he said.

Since Oct. 7, 2023, Israeli bombardments have killed more than 67,000 Palestinians in Gaza, mostly women and children.

The attacks have made the enclave uninhabitable, while the ongoing blockade has further pushed the population toward famine.