Deir al-Balah (Gaza): Khaled Muhammad Abu Habil had a busy day. It begins with preparations to go to class at the hospital in Gaza. There with colleagues with medicine and treatment. Back home to join parents and siblings for lunch. Evening football practice. Night Medicine Lessons….
Khalid was born in a middle class family. Living in a small house with four siblings and parents. The family’s daily life in Gaza, which was under Israeli siege, was accompanied by severe economic hardships. Still, the family wholeheartedly supported Khalid’s ambition to be a doctor and a footballer at the same time.
“For me, studying medicine is more important than football. Both are my favorite. But, without a doubt, medicine is more loved’ – said Khalid in an interview given to Al Jazeera. He joined Al Azhar University in Gaza for medicine in 2019.
‘I was a person who wanted to study well. Up to seven hours a day will be set aside for studying medicine. There will be three hours of football training. In between, the time to sleep is barely six hours. But those days were so much fun and happy.’
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But the ‘fun days’ that Khalid spoke of are over. Those days were before October 7th. All that life has been turned upside down in the past three months with Israel’s brutal violence. When the war broke out, his family moved from Maghazi to the refugee camp in Nusayram. However, they returned home last month. After Maghazi was overrun by Israeli tankers last week, Khalid moved to Deir al-Balah. Khalid may run away from here like others in the area. The next trip could be to the southernmost Rafah.
Football is life in GazaFootball has been the great joy of Palestine, which has been suffering from Israeli atrocities for the past decade and a half. A lifelong hobby. There are dozens of clubs in Gaza’s four football leagues. League matches would be played as usual on weekends. Many also witnessed matches in Palestine’s most popular sport, football.
The galleries were full of noise and excitement. Views of men, women and children entering the gallery as a family. The rivalries between the clubs within 365 square kilometers and the fan’s rants have all contributed to the matches.
‘Three months after hitting the ball’
It’s been days since the new generation of Palestinians who aspire to become professional footballers like 22-year-old Khalid hit the ball. The game is temporarily set back in the days when death hangs over life. “My family didn’t accept that medicine and football could go together. I told them that I cannot give up football. That’s when the family gave permission to continue playing. But they said not to distract from studies and not to waste time’ – said Khalid.
A year ago, Al Atta Club of Khan Younis, where Khalid was tying the boots, became the third division champions. In 2002, Khalid moved to Al Atta on loan from the club Khadamat Al Maghazi, where he had been playing since the age of nine. This young man, who grew up to be a star who caught everyone’s attention on the field, but it has been three months since he hit the ball.
‘My people need me now’
Now there is no game or ball in Khalid’s mind. He is serving as an emergency doctor at Al Aqsa Hospital in Deir Al Balah. Khalid is busy volunteering more than 72 hours a week. ‘My love for people and my love for medical studies make me commit to serve in the hospital. Now is the time when my people need me the most. We should respond positively to that demand and stand with them’ – says Khalid.
Khalid has taken a huge loan to pay the fees for studying medicine at Gaza University. He hopes to pay it all back if he lives. The university, on the other hand, has been bombed by Israel. ‘I used to spend time in the hospital to study. Now the story has changed in the blink of an eye. People with broken limbs and people screaming for their lives have to be treated. What atrocity they are committing’.
‘Heart-stirring views all around’
I don’t even get time to rest. That’s how many cases are handled in a day. Doing everything possible to save lives. Many people are injured in the war and have serious health problems. Heartbreaking scenes have been seen in the hospital for the past three months. Seeing the misery of the babies bleeding from every part of the body is mind numbing. The situation is getting worse every day.
Khalid dreams of a better tomorrow even as Israel continues to attack from land, sea and sky. He is optimistic that the bombed-out land will have green fields tomorrow and he will make a name for himself by playing. The moment of signing a professional contract with any club in Europe is on his mind. Manchester City and Barcelona are preferred. He is fond of Pep Guardiola’s coaching tactics. Khalid has big dreams of picking up the jersey of one of the two clubs. ‘Before that, the war must end. Because our dreams are being destroyed’ – Khalid said.
2024-01-09 14:05:23
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