Gaza Amputee Girls Defy War, Dream of World Cup Glory
On a compact artificial-turf pitch in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza, young amputees balance on crutches, threading passes and pursuing the ball beneath their coaches' watchful eyes. For these athletes, football has transcended sport — becoming a lifeline back to normalcy, self-worth, and a future worth fighting for.
Gaza's Health Ministry documents nearly 6,000 amputations recorded over two years of war, with survivors needing "urgent and long-term" rehabilitation. Within that grim reality, a girls' amputee football initiative has carved out a rare refuge of resilience and hope.
At the center of this story is Rozan Khaira, 24, who lost her leg when an Israeli airstrike leveled her Gaza City family home in November 2023.
"The bombing happened at night while my family was inside the house," Khaira told media.
"I woke up to screams and explosions. When I tried to stand, I couldn't. I moved on one leg until I reached the living room, and there I realized my leg had been amputated," she said.
Once a decorated sprinter who grew up alongside her father at football pitches, Khaira channeled trauma into defiance.
"Perhaps the (Israeli) occupation thought amputating my leg would stop me, but it gave me even greater motivation to prove that amputation is not the end of life or ambition," she said.
"An injury is not the end of a dream. It can open new doors," she added.
Now a player with the Palestine Amputee Football Association — one of Palestine's first female amputee clubs — Khaira has set her sights on international competition and hoisting her nation's flag on the world stage. Wartime restrictions crushed this year's tournament hopes.
"We hope to participate in international competitions next year and represent Palestine in an honorable way," she said.
The 2026 World Cup, which opened Thursday, continues through July 19 across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
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