'We lived in constant fear': Palestinian children's football dreams saved after global campaign halts Israeli demolition of Aida refugee camp pitch

Despite Israeli threats and demolition orders, children still showed up every day to train at Aida refugee camp's only football field, running drills in full view of Israeli military towers, unsure whether the bulldozers would arrive before their next match.

But plans to dismantle the pitch near Bethlehem were called off after an international campaign called for its protection, including intervention by UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin. Sources close to Ceferin's involvement were described as "highly significant" in persuading Israeli officials to abandon their plans.

"We can confirm that the UEFA president has been in contact with the Israel football federation regarding the preservation of a football pitch in a refugee camp in the West Bank," UEFA said in a statement. 

American educator and YouTuber Ms. Rachel had also shared a video on Instagram as part of the campaign, noting that the petition organised by Aida Camp against the demolition had gathered 350,000 signatures.

While the decision was welcomed by residents and supporters as a rare moment of relief, those involved stress that it does not guarantee the pitch's future.

For many in Aida, the halt to demolition is seen as a temporary reprieve rather than a permanent victory, with past experience showing that such threats can quickly resurface.

This uncertainty forms the backdrop to the pitch's long and contested history, marked by repeated attempts to erase a space that has come to symbolise far more than a place to play football.

"For these children, the field is a space of safety and life, a place where they feel belonging and freedom"

Dreams under threat

On 3 November 2025, Israeli authorities delivered a formal demolition notice for the camp's only football field, a synthetic turf pitch that has served more than 750 young players over the past five years.

Built in 2019–2020, the field is one of 289 Palestinian structures Israel has targeted for demolition since 7 October 2023.

Established in 1950 on an area not exceeding 0.65 square kilometres, Aida Camp is home to more than 7,000 Palestinian refugees living in severely overcrowded conditions. 

The pitch is in Area A, a territory designated under the Oslo Accords as under full Palestinian Authority administrative and security control.

Yet Israeli forces have targeted the site repeatedly. 

"We lived in constant fear, expecting every day that the field would be demolished and our dreams along with it," 11-year-old Islam Amira told The New Arab.

Islam shared that the occupation's decision to demolish the field shattered his dream of becoming a football player and destroyed all the progress he had made toward qualifying for international matches.

"We dream that tomorrow will be bright, not a nightmare where the field is turned into a pile of rubble," Islam added. 

He started playing at his club at a young age, running across the field countless times. He won games there, he lost some, but he had never imagined that he would one day no longer have access to it. 

"Why is this reality only here in Palestine?" the young child asks. "Why can't we live a life without fear?"

Maryam Abu Soruour lives in a house in one of the camp's alleys, and the field is the only open space she has ever known.

After finishing a training session with the girls' team, the 13-year-old talks with The New Arab. "The field is our only open space. Our dream is to grow up and win championships in the name of our country, Palestine. But the occupation never misses a chance to make life bitter for Palestinians," she shared. 

For 10-year-old Maya Salama, the field represents her only space of joy within the camp. "I meet my friends here, and we play football," she told The New Arab. 

"Even if the field had been demolished, I wouldn't have given up on my football dreams," Maya added.

"I'll keep playing and dream of becoming a professional player someday, representing my country and winning international championships."

According to officials The New Arab spoke with, during initial construction in 2019, soldiers raided the location, confiscated equipment, and arrested members of the camp's popular committee, without providing legal justification. 

Construction resumed in 2020 only after Palestinian liaison offices submitted all permits and received Israeli confirmation that building could proceed.

A safety space, not just a field

Mohammed Abu Srour, Sports Director at the Aida Youth Social Center and Al-Awda Sports Union, said the field is not merely used for playing football but represents "a vital social space that brings together children, youth, and families, providing a rare outlet amid the conditions of the overcrowded camp."

Mohammed explained that the field was established approximately five years ago through a partnership between the Popular Committee of Aida Camp and Bethlehem Municipality, on land leased from the Armenian Monastery, adding that all legal and administrative procedures for land use were "fully completed before construction began."

"The field's existence has significantly helped develop sports talent within the camp and provided younger generations with the opportunity to practice sports in a healthy, organised manner within a relatively safe environment," he told The New Arab. "There is no alternative space that could be used for this purpose."

According to the director, more than 250 children from Al-Awda Sports Academy, plus approximately 500 young men and women, benefit from the field daily.

He warned that demolishing it would mean destroying the dream of every Palestinian child to play football, one of the most basic rights of children worldwide.

"It would shatter the hopes of refugee children, forcing them back to the streets to play in alleys, among drainage channels and potholes scattered throughout the camp and on asphalt, exposing them to falls and injuries."

Mohammed added, "For these children, the field is a space of safety and life, a place where they feel belonging and freedom."

Sports defying the wall

Despite the demolition notice, children and youth continued their daily training on the field, in scenes where determination mingles with fear that the Israeli decision could be executed at any moment.

Munther Amira, head of the Aida Camp Services Committee, explained that fear of the field's demolition has, conversely, created a spirit of defiance among children, who now frequent the field more often and cling to their dreams of becoming football players representing Palestine "with pride and dignity," as he described.

"The international petition campaign succeeded within days in gathering hundreds of thousands of signatures, alongside outreach to football federations worldwide and to the Palestinian Football Association and FIFA, to pressure for the field's protection," he told The New Arab.

Those managing the field confirmed that targeting the sports facility falls within the framework of ongoing Israeli violations against Palestinian sports and attempts to undermine any space for normal life within the camps.

An integral space

"The field serves children, girls, youth, and women, and hosts women's sports activities," he told The New Arab, adding that Israeli authorities issued three successive decisions since early November.

The first was a demolition notice delivered at night; the second gave the camp one week to carry out self-demolition under threat of bearing demolition costs, before a third decision granted an additional one-week extension following intervention by the legal institution representing the camp.

Munther confirmed that the Israeli government "does not need legal justifications for demolition," but noted that those managing the field had been working on several parallel fronts, including legal, community, and international dimensions, to halt the decision.

"The land is legally leased from the Armenian Monastery, and the field is located in Area A, necessary permits from Palestinian authorities are available, and there was prior verbal approval from the Israeli Civil Administration through the Civil Liaison when work on the project began," he explained. 

He noted that in recent years, the field has transformed into a platform for athletic achievement, with teams from Aida Camp participating in international tournaments in Europe, including Denmark and France. 

"Girls from the camp have also participated in international sports activities, and four girls have joined the Palestinian national youth teams," Munther added, highlighting how the pitch has become an integral and safe space for the community.

While the recent halt to demolition brings a moment of relief, the children of Aida continue to train amid uncertainty, their dreams and determination a reminder of the resilience that flourishes even under constant threat.

The football field remains more than just a place to play — it is a symbol of hope, identity, and the right of every child to a safe space to grow, learn, and dream.

Issam Ahmed is a Ramallah-based independent journalist focusing on security and human rights issues

This article is published in collaboration with Egab.