DOHA: Ticket revenues for the Asian Cup 2023 in Qatar are to be donated to support Palestinian relief efforts, the football tournament’s local organising committee announced on Monday, as Israel’s bombardment of Gaza continued.

“We have decided to donate ticketing revenue generated from the Asian Cup in Qatar to much-needed relief efforts in Palestine,” the committee’s chairman said without giving details on what proportion of sales would be given in aid.

“We will be certain that this corporate social responsibility initiative will benefit those most affected, and that football fulfils its role as a support mechanism for people during the most difficult of times,” Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani added.

Israel launched its assault on Gaza in response to an unprecedented attack by Hamas on Oct 7 in which 1,200 people, mostly civilians, were killed and 240 taken as hostages, according to Israeli authorities.

Since then, Gaza’s health ministry says more than 13,000 people have been killed in the Palestinian territory with increasing alarm over its dire humanitarian situation.

Qatar will host the Asian Cup beginning in January and, like other Gulf nations, has donated aid and medical supplies to Gaza via Egypt.

Published in Dawn, November 21st, 2023