Photos show soccer’s return to Gaza as amputees and local teams play on improvised field

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JABALIA, Gaza Strip (AP) — Gaza’s main soccer stadium was leveled during the Israel-Hamas war and it now serves as a tent camp for displaced families.

In the Jabalia camp, however, the Palestinian Football Federation has carved out a new space for the game. They have cleared rubble, laid down worn artificial turf and erected a fence beside the remains of destroyed buildings.

Palestinian amputees trained on the improvised field on Wednesday and on Saturday, two local teams faced off in a game on the same ground.

Despite widespread destruction from the war and a fragile ceasefire, many here are reclaiming fragments of ordinary life, including soccer.

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This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors.