"Those who do not feel for them are not human".. Hossam Hassan: The West rises for animals but remains silent about the genocide in Gaza

SadaNews - Egypt's national team coach Hossam Hassan firmly expressed his support for the Palestinian people, calling for the recognition of their right to live, following a wave of Israeli criticism after he dedicated the Pharaohs' qualification to the round of 16 in the 2026 World Cup to the Palestinian people.

This came during a press conference on the eve of the Egyptian team's match against Argentina in the World Cup round of 16, scheduled for today, Tuesday, in response to a question regarding his dedication of the victory over Australia to the Palestinian people and raising the Palestinian flag after the match.

In response to a question from a Turkish journalist about the possibility of renewing his support for the Palestinian people, Hassan said: "We welcome the Turkish people," before emphasizing that every person has feelings, and if anyone in the world does not feel for the Palestinian people, they do not deserve to be called human.

He added: "If any animal is harmed in Europe or America, we see human and animal rights organizations take action, but when thousands, including children and women, are killed daily in Gaza, this does not happen, while an entire people lives in tents summer and winter."

He continued: "At a time when we need air conditioning in the summer and heating in the winter, the Palestinian people live in the open, with children who find no food and suffer from diseases and lack of sleep."

Hassan emphasized that his stance stems from humanitarian considerations, saying: if no one feels what is happening to the Palestinian people, regardless of their religion, then they are not human, calling for a one-day experience in the streets to sense what the Palestinians endure.

He added: "When floods occur, everyone hides, but in Gaza and Palestine, there is no place for people to take shelter, before directing a message stating: it is a disgrace for the world and decision-makers to abandon the Palestinian people, condemning the indifference towards the high number of casualties."

Hassan stressed that his support for the Palestinian people comes from humanitarian grounds, far from any religion or identity, which received loud applause while he struggled with tears in his eyes.

He concluded his message by saying: "I hope all athletes, regardless of their religions and countries, through the World Cup, send a message: Please let the Palestinian people live, this is all they want."

Hassan had previously dedicated, after the victory over Australia in the round of 32, the Egyptian national team's historic qualification for the round of 16 to the Palestinian people, and raised the Palestinian flag inside the stadium, in a scene that received wide interaction on social media and drew criticism from Israeli officials and media.

The Palestinians in the Gaza Strip are experiencing one of the worst humanitarian disasters in the world due to the ongoing Israeli genocide since October 8, 2023, which has resulted in the martyrdom of over 73,000 Palestinians and the injury of more than 173,000, alongside wide-scale destruction affecting much of the infrastructure and the displacement of hundreds of thousands.

Gaza Palestinians have been known to support the Egyptian national team since the start of their journey in the 2026 World Cup, following their match against Australia amidst an atmosphere of encouragement, despite the dire humanitarian conditions in the enclave.

Egypt and Palestine share close historical and social ties, which reflects in the widespread presence of the Egyptian national team in the Palestinian sports conscience, especially during major tournaments.

Source: AFP