Palestinians promise to support Spain in the Euro 2024 final against England | UEFA Euro 2024 news

Deir el-Balah, Gaza – When Spain take to the pitch at Berlin’s Olympic Stadium for the Euro 2024 final against England on Sunday, they will be cheered by millions of fans around the world.

From the capital Madrid in central Spain to Barcelona in the northeast region of Catalonia, La Roja – as the Spanish football team is affectionately known – will have plenty of support as they seek their fourth European title.

And more than 3,500 kilometers away from Spain, football fans in Gaza will wholeheartedly support Álvaro Morata and his men.

People in the war-torn Strip will support their Spanish friends against Britain after the European nation has expressed strong support for the Palestinians since the early days of the ongoing Israeli offensive in Gaza.

Omar Ghayyad, a 36-year-old mathematics professor at UNRWA – the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees – and his brother Mohammed faced displacement three times during Israel’s 10-month war in the territory.

Eight of his family members, including Omar’s two daughters, were killed when their home in Nusairat Refugee Camp was destroyed by Israeli bombing in the early months of the war.

Amid the ineffable pain of loss and the struggles of continual displacement, the Ghayyad brothers, along with their friends and relatives, seek respite in football.

The two brothers are avid fans of the Real Madrid football club and have tried to keep up with their favorite team’s exploits in the Spanish and European leagues in their makeshift tent in Deir el-Balah, in the center of the Gaza Strip.

Now, with Spain on the brink of success, they have turned their support to La Roja at Euro 2024.

On the eve of the final, football fans told Al Jazeera they will try to create a fun atmosphere in their tent to find some distraction and reciprocate Spain’s support for Palestine.

“Since this genocide began, Spain’s solidarity with us has been incredible – whether recognizing Palestine’s statehood or supporting South Africa in its International Court of Justice (ICJ) case against Israel,” Omar said on Friday. fair.

“We can see how passionate the Spanish fans are [about Gaza] when they wave the Palestinian flag during football matches.”

The Real Madrid fan said he can’t wait to see his favorite club’s Spanish defender Dani Carvajal lift the trophy on Sunday.

‘How can I support my family’s killers?’

If Spain manages to beat England in Berlin, the joy of Gaza fans will be doubled.

“The UK’s position [during the war on Gaza] It was shameful, as it promised military support and funding for Israel,” Omar said.

Spain and Palestine have maintained a friendly relationship in recent years, including cultural and academic exchange programs.

A neighborhood in western Gaza was named after the Catalan capital Barcelona after the Spanish government funded its elevation project in 1998.

“Israeli forces turned [the] Barcelona [neighbourhood] to a military base and this is an attack on both countries,” said Omar.

For his brother Mohammed, a laboratory technician, Spain has always been his favorite international team.

A replica of former Spain captain Raul Gonzalez’s shirt from the 2006 FIFA World Cup is a prized possession for the Ghayyad family.

Mohammed and his four-year-old daughter Toqa have been following the Spanish team since the start of the European tournament.

The 40-year-old told Al Jazeera that he planned to travel to Spain in 2004, but his dream did not materialize due to travel restrictions that make it difficult for Palestinians to travel.

“Spain has its own liberation movements, including the Catalan movement in Barcelona, ​​which are similar to ours,” he said.

“Spanish fans love Palestine and the position of their government [on Gaza] It’s been honorable – that’s why I’m going to support them.”

Mohammed was ruthless towards fellow Euro finalists England.

“In 1917, the Balfour declaration supported by the United Kingdom [a public pledge by Britain declaring its aim to establish “a national home for the Jewish people” in Palestine] it became the root cause of our struggle,” he explained.

They said the country remains complicit in the current genocide.

“How can I support my killers? I hope Spain wipes the floor with them on Sunday.”

Both Omar and Mohammed are unsure whether they will be able to watch the game live due to the terrible conditions in Gaza, but they predict Spain will win 3-1 in Berlin.