Egypt national team head coach Hossam Hassan has once again voiced his support for Palestine, days after dedicating his team's historic knockout win at the World Cup to the Palestinian people and waving their flag at the global sporting event.
At a press conference on Monday, Hassan broke away from discussing his team's upcoming round-of-16 match against Argentina to deliver an impassioned monologue about the plight of Palestinians. "If there is anyone in the world who does not feel for the Palestinian people, then they are not human — whether they are Arab, European, or American," Hassan said. He spoke for over four minutes and was applauded by many in the assembled media.
Israeli attacks on Gaza continue to kill Palestinians despite an ongoing "ceasefire" between Israel and Hamas. Israel has allegedly killed at least 73,066 people, including at least 20,179 children, in Gaza since the beginning of its genocidal war on October 7. At least 463 have died from starvation, including 157 children.
Over 2 million Palestinians in Gaza, largely displaced and living amid ruins, face uncertainty following the Israeli genocide. When asked what prompted him to wave the Palestinian flag after Friday's penalty shootout win over Australia, Hassan responded that it was "simply a human reaction."
"Everywhere in the world, including in Europe or America, if someone hurts an animal, we see animal rights being defended and the whole world reacts. It has become normal to hear that two or three thousand people die in a single day because of a missile," he said.
The genocide has sparked pro-Palestinian protests worldwide, with athletes including Spain's Lamine Yamal showing support. While Hassan fielded questions about Lionel Messi and his team's chances against the holders, he also spoke at length about Palestinians.
"Regardless of religion… I am a human before being Arab or anything else. My message, through football, is this: Please, just as FIFA's slogan calls for respect among us, I hope there will be respect for people's right to live," Hassan said.
A win over Argentina would see Egypt reach the quarterfinals for the first time. "My dreams have no limits. My ambitions have no limits. I promise that we will do everything to live up to the expectations. We're no underdogs. We're big in every respect. We are a civilization that is 7,000 years old, even more than 7,000 years," he said.
Hassan conceded his side were not favorites for Tuesday's clash but insisted they were far from overawed. "We know we are playing against the World Cup holders and one of the greatest players ever [Messi], but we do not fear them. Responsibility makes us focus on ourselves and on what we can produce on the field," he added.
"We have a responsibility towards Egypt and the Arab world and Africa. We represent all of them."
Source: www.aljazeera.com