Palestine Player: "My Mother Watches Our Matches in Her Gaza Tent with Difficulty, Requiring a Generator and Fuel" - Hasn't Seen Her in 3 Years

From inside her tent in Gaza, the mother of player Ihab Abu Jazr confirmed that his family is experiencing immense pride in the Palestine national team's performance in the Arab Cup, despite the severe humanitarian conditions they face. She told media outlets, "They have made us happy and lifted our heads high. Ihab has brought joy to the hearts of the Palestinian people, especially those living in tents and suffering. Praise be to God."

She added, "May God bless him, protect him, and elevate his status. I am pleased with him, and his late father was also pleased with him. I miss him dearly," noting that she has not seen her son for three years due to the war and his inability to return to Gaza.

For his part, Ihab Abu Jazr told Agence France-Presse, "My mother asks me about the players, who will play and who will be absent? She asks about morale, and even about the way we will play."

He explained, "My mother and siblings follow the matches on television with great difficulty, by providing an electric generator and fuel to operate it. They are living inside a tent after our house in Rafah, which we built stone by stone, was destroyed."

Abu Jazr stressed that the harsh conditions his family and most of the Palestinian people are enduring give him and his teammates a great motivation "to fight on the field until the last minute," affirming that the goal is to bring joy to the people of Gaza.

At the conclusion of the group stage, the Palestine national team secured a historic qualification to the quarterfinals after deservedly topping Group A, continuing their journey with confidence in one of their best tournament appearances.