Commenting on the achievement, al-Dali said: “We ride for our country with pride, and thank God Palestine was among the countries that qualified for the upcoming World Championship.
“At the same time, our people in Gaza are experiencing famine, killing, and genocide, and the situation is very bad,” he continued. “Despite this, our teammates are still trying to help and are continuing to deliver aid to our people experiencing intense famine. This is something that athletes around the world must know to help us stop this destruction of Gaza, and the whole world must raise its voice, including the sports world, until the attacks against us stop.”
Asfour added: “Participating in this competition and representing Palestine is a great honour in my life. After years of training in Gaza and dreaming of moments like this, being able to compete and meet international athletes means so much to me.”
The team is aiming to qualify for the 2028 Paralympic Games, which are set to take place in Los Angeles.
The Gaza Sunbirds consists of 19 teammates who have suffered from injuries and amputations as a result of Israeli attacks. Some members remain in Gaza and continue to distribute aid to local people. Revisit our 2023 interview here, and support the Gaza Sunbirds by purchasing a jersey here.
Isaac Muk is Huck’s digital editor. Follow him on Bluesky.
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