Palestinian flags and the black-and-white keffiyeh scarf flew high in Kuwait’s Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium as football fans vented their emotions in a World Cup qualifier, AFP reports.

Thousands of Palestinians and their supporters turned out at the 60,000-seat venue for the game against Australia, Palestine’s first in front of fans since Israel began bombarding Gaza following the October 7 attack by Hamas.

“Palestine is in our hearts. We came to the stadium, old and young, in support,” Anfal Al-Azmi, a 45-year-old Kuwaiti woman, told AFP.

Defender Harry Souttar’s 18th-minute goal was all that separated the teams in a 1-0 win for Australia where the action on the pitch was almost incidental.