A FIFA delegation arrived in Gaza on Monday to "help with a rebuilding project for football stadiums damaged during Operation Protective Edge," according to ARUTZ SHEVA. FIFA is investing $1M to "help rebuild stadiums in the area, many of which were damaged" during the conflict between Israel and Hamas. Palestinian Football Federation CEO Nafez Okasha said that the money would be used to "replace synthetic pitches in the 20 stadiums." He added that these "could be inaugurated as early as summer this year." Another $200,000 from FIFA has been earmarked to "repair the Palestine national stadium in Gaza, which was damaged during airstrikes" (ARUTZ SHEVA, 1/5). HAARETZ reported a FIFA delegation "visited Gaza for the first time in 12 years." Okasha said that the FIFA representatives were "supposed to watch a match between two Gazan groups." But they "missed the match after the Israeli military held up the
delegation at the Erez crossing between Israel and Gaza for several
hours." Israel reportedly said the delegation was delayed "because one of its members
had not coordinated the visit with the military in advance" (HAARETZ, 1/6).
