The beIN Sports initiative is also reminiscent of Qatar’s efforts during the 2022 FIFA World Cup where it led major efforts to ensure those forced out of their lands joined the celebrations too.
Palestinians evacuated from Gaza to Doha are experiencing the AFC Asian Cup 2023 enthusiasm as part of a beIN Sports initiative aimed at providing match screenings of the tournament, the media entity announced on Saturday.
Qatar has evacuated 401 Palestinians from Gaza since late last year under an initiative by Qatar’s Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani to sponsor 3,000 orphans and treat 1,500 injured Palestinians from the Gaza Strip.
The screenings are taking place inside the Palestinians’ housing complex and at Sidra Medicine where some are receiving medical treatment, according to beIN Sports.
“As part of our corporate social responsibility and to support the State of Qatar’s humanitarian efforts towards Palestinians evacuated from Gaza to Qatar for urgent medical treatment, beIN Sports will be broadcasting all 51 matches from the ongoing AFC Asian Cup,” the media network said.
On Thursday, several sports analysts and professional players visited the complex, where they watched the screening of the Palestine versus United Arab Emirates match, which ended with a 1-1 draw.
The Al Janoub Stadium shook during the match with the voices of nearly 42,000 people chanting: “Free Palestine.”
All the matches with Palestine have started with a minute of silence to honour those that Israel killed throughout the genocide in Gaza.
The number of Palestinians killed by Israel surpassed 25,000 by Sunday, while the number of injured reached at least 62,681, according to Gaza’s health ministry.
The war has also displaced more than two million people out of Gaza’s 2.2 million population, placing them in a dire humanitarian situation where there is a high risk of the spread of diseases.
The beIN Sports initiative is also reminiscent of Qatar’s efforts during the 2022 FIFA World Cup where it led major efforts to ensure those forced out of their lands joined the celebrations too.
Under the “Qatar FIFA 2022 for All: Celebrating Football with Refugees and Displaced People”, Qatar established fan zones across camps in six countries, including Jordan, Syria, Sudan, Kenya, Bangladesh and Somalia.
The fan zones played a major role in breaking refugees and internally displaced persons’ isolation, with matches broadcast across the camps and entertaining activities established throughout the month of the footballing extravaganza.
