- Egypt's national football coach, Hossam Hassan, displayed a Palestinian flag on the pitch after his team secured a 4-2 penalty shootout victory against Australia in the World Cup round of 32.
- Hassan declared in an emotional post-game interview, "My heart and soul are with them," and dedicated the significant win to both the Egyptian and Palestinian people.
- A video of Hassan walking across the field with the flag as crowds chanted “Free, free Palestine!” went viral, with a former head of Egypt’s Journalists’ Union calling it “the most significant scene.”
- This act of solidarity comes amid the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza, which has seen over 73,000 Palestinian deaths since the conflict began on 7 October 2023.
- FIFA confirmed that displaying the Palestinian flag is permitted at the World Cup, as the Palestine Football Association is a member, indicating no action would be taken against Hassan, despite previous restrictions on other political statements.
IN FULL
