Following Egypt's victory over Australia on July 3, national team manager Hossam Hassan dedicated the historic World Cup win to the Palestinian people, sparking celebrations across the Gaza Strip and the wider Arab world.
In viral clips seen by TNX Africa, Hassan carried both the Egyptian and Palestinian flags onto the pitch during the post-match celebrations, where he joined his players.
He proudly waved the Palestinian flag toward Egypt supporters, who responded with loud cheers in solidarity.
According to Al Jazeera, Hassan told reporters after the match that he prayed for the Palestinian people and their martyrs, dedicating the victory to both Egyptians and Palestinians.
"May God grant them (the Palestinians) victory. May God have mercy on their martyrs. I'm saying to them: I'm dedicating this victory to the Egyptian people and Palestinian people, those kind and honourable people," Hassan said in Arabic.
The Pharaohs reached the Round of 16 for the first time in their history after defeating Australia 4-2 on penalties following a 1-1 draw after extra time at Dallas Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
Emam Ashour gave Egypt the lead with a 13th-minute header before a Mohamed Hany own goal levelled the match in the second half. During the shootout, Hossam Abdelmaguid converted the winning penalty after Australia's Harry Souttar and Lucas Herrington missed their spot kicks.
Egypt will now face Argentina on Tuesday, July 7, at Atlanta Stadium in the United States.
Videos circulating on social media showed thousands of Gaza residents watching the match at public screenings set up among makeshift tents and war-damaged surroundings.
The victory prompted an outpouring of celebration online, with many saying the result offered a rare moment of joy and unity amid the ongoing conflict.
The victory came hours after a brief pre-match incident involving the Egyptian team at their hotel in Dallas.
A video seen by TNX Africa showed a Dallas police officer pushing team director Ibrahim Hassan and midfielder Trezeguet as fans crowded around the players seeking photos.
The footage initially sparked criticism online, but the Dallas Police Department later said the misunderstanding was resolved peacefully at the scene.