Palestinian Manager Finds Inspiration and Guidance from Mother Living in Gaza Shelter
Manager Ehab Abu Jazar leads a national squad that bears the weight of Palestinian football's aspirations and grief, yet his primary source of inspiration comes from his mother, who has been displaced by conflict and now resides in a tent in Gaza.
The conflict that erupted after Hamas's major assault on Israel on 7 October 2023 halted Palestinian league games and scattered athletes into exile, where they worry about family members back in Gaza.
Nevertheless, Abu Jazar's mother insists on keeping the war from dimming her son's sporting ambitions, offering him strategic tips via phone calls from amid the ruins of the Palestinian enclave.
"She discusses nothing except the squad. She insists the attention stays fixed on the competition," the 45-year-old coach shared with AFP.
"My mother inquires about the athletes, who will start and who might miss out, the strategies, the players' spirits and their personal situations."
The coach, once a left defender himself, aims for his team to embody the resolve of his mother and others like her in Gaza.
"We often describe ourselves as a compact Palestinian unit standing for the broader community," he explained.
"It certainly adds strain, but it is constructive strain."
Ranked 96th by FIFA, the Palestinian side saw their chances of qualifying for a debut World Cup slip away this summer.
However, the group, with most members unfamiliar with Gaza itself, remains close to reaching the Arab Cup quarterfinals, sustaining their narrative of endurance.
Palestine faces Syria in their concluding group fixture of the Arab Cup on Sunday, and a tie would secure a historic milestone for the team.
Such advancement, he noted, would demonstrate to the globe that Palestinians, provided fair opportunities, can "thrive across every domain".
Inherited Strength
Abu Jazar ended his playing days in 2017, then coached the Palestinian under-23 side before assuming the senior role last year.
Once the war ignited, his family residence was razed, forcing his mother into displacement in Gaza, much like the majority of residents at the conflict's peak.
From afar in exile, he has observed the war's atrocities, which paused in October due to a tenuous US supported truce.
"Initially, it weighed heavily, particularly early in the war," he admitted.
"We struggled to grasp the events. Yet we carry the traits of perseverance.
"Should we yield to these challenges, our nation would fade away."
Serving as his maternal strategist, Abu Jazar's mother, known affectionately as Umm Ehab, can only be reached when electricity and connection allow.
Still, she tirelessly seeks means to view the team's games from Al Mawasi camp.
"My mother and siblings face huge difficulties in viewing our contests on TV. They ponder ways to operate the generator, acquire fuel to power it and link it to the set," he described.
This tenacity spurs him to offer Gazans even brief relief from wartime hardships.
"Such resolve is what sustains us and drives us to deliver happiness to our folks," he stated.
"Every one of these factors urges us to battle on the pitch right to the end."