Palestinian sports losses since October 7, 2023: three years of pain and destruction

Since October 7, 2023, Palestinian sports have paid a heavy price for the war, losing hundreds of players, coaches, administrators, referees, and workers in federations and clubs. This has coincided with the destruction of dozens of facilities, stadiums, and sports halls in the Gaza Strip, alongside ongoing assaults and restrictions affecting athletes and facilities in the West Bank.

According to the latest statistics released by the Palestine Football Association, the number of martyrs in the Palestinian sports movement has risen to 1,013 since the beginning of the war, including 568 from the football community. The toll includes players, coaches, administrators, referees, club presidents and board members, as well as workers in sports institutions.

In a documented report as of February 12, 2026, the Palestinian Football Association announced that the number of martyrs from members of associations, clubs, and youth and scouting institutions in the Gaza Strip has reached 1,007 martyrs, including 962 men and 45 women. The Football Association recorded 565 martyrs, while the number of martyrs from various Olympic sports associations reached 317, in addition to 125 martyrs from the scouting movement.

The losses were not limited to lives, as the report revealed that 265 sports facilities in the southern provinces were affected, including 184 facilities that were completely destroyed and 81 facilities that suffered partial damage. The damages included stadiums, sports halls, club and federation headquarters, as well as football, basketball, volleyball, and tennis courts, swimming pools, and fitness centers, in addition to the only athletics track in the Gaza Strip. Major stadiums such as Al-Yarmouk Stadium, Palestine Stadium, and Al-Durra Stadium have also been turned into shelters for the displaced.

Over the past three years, Palestinian football has lost several prominent names, including Suleiman Al-Obaid, one of the most notable stars of Palestinian football and a former player for Al-Yarmouk and the national team, Hani Al-Masdar, the general coach of the Olympic team, and Mohamed Khattab, the Palestinian international referee, along with hundreds of players, coaches, administrators, and referees from various clubs and sectors of Palestinian football.

The losses have extended to injuries, arrests, and missing persons. The Palestinian Federation reported dozens of athletes injured, including some who suffered permanent disabilities, while also documenting the arrest of athletes, in addition to the presence of missing individuals from the sports movement. In the February 2026 report, the number of missing members of the sports movement reached five.

Sporting life in Gaza has come to a near halt since the war began, with the Palestine Football Association forced to cancel the 2023-2024 season due to the impossibility of continuing competitions. Many other sports competitions have also been suspended or disrupted. Facilities that once hosted matches and training sessions, nurturing the dreams of children and youth, have turned into destroyed buildings or shelters.