Palestinian flags and black and white keffiyeh flew high in Kuwait’s Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium as soccer fans expressed their emotions Tuesday (Nov. 21) during a 2026 World Cup qualifying match. Thousands of Palestinians and their supporters went to this 60,000-seat stadium for the match against Australia, the first Palestinian match in front of supporters since the start of the war between Israel and Hamas. “ Palestine is in our hearts. We came to the stadium, young and old, to support them “, Anfal Al-Azmi, a 45-year-old Kuwaiti woman, told AFP. Australia won 1-0. “ The match doesn’t matter to us. We have come to deliver a message “, said Wael Youssef Labbad, 40, Palestinian from Ashkelon. Supporters held “Liberate Gaza” banners and photos of keys, symbolizing the homes lost by Palestinians during the creation of Israel in 1948. Australian players will donate part of their match fees to humanitarian operations in Gaza, including the situation was described as “horrible” by visiting manager Graham Arnold. Not all the fans were Palestinian, with many coming from other communities in the Gulf country.
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