Egypt Coach Hossam Hassan Says Anyone Who Doesn’t Feel for Palestinians Is Not Human

Egypt coach Hossam Hassan used a World Cup press conference in Atlanta to break away from discussing Egypt’s upcoming round-of-16 match against Argentina and instead deliver an impassioned monologue about the plight of Palestinian people in Gaza.

Hassan said, “If there is anyone in the world who does not feel for the Palestinian people, then they are not human — whether they are Arab, European, or American,” as he spoke on Monday and was applauded by many of the assembled media.

Al Jazeera

The AP report tied the remarks to the war that began when Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, noting that Israel’s retaliation has killed a total of 73,066 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.

AP also reported that more than 2 million Palestinians in Gaza, largely displaced and living amid ruins, face uncertainty after the war.

Hassan later framed his message through football ahead of Tuesday’s match, saying, “Please, just as FIFA’s slogan calls for respect among us, I hope there will be respect for people’s right to live.”

At the same Atlanta press conference, Hassan again used his platform to support the Palestinian cause, draping a Palestinian flag around himself when celebrating Egypt’s round-of-32 win over Australia last week.

The New York Times report, citing Reuters, quoted Hassan saying, “If a person anywhere in the world does not feel for the Palestinian people, then they have lost part of their humanity,” and described how he asked athletes and journalists to help deliver that message.

AP News

Hassan also dedicated Egypt’s victory over Australia to the Palestinian people, with Al Jazeera posting videos it said showed people in Gaza celebrating Egypt’s result.

The New York Times report added that there had been “some suggestion that Hassan may face sanctions from FIFA,” because the Palestinian flag could count as a display of a political symbol prohibited by Article 28 of the World Cup organizer’s regulations.

In a separate account, Sada News Agency said Hassan attacked “international silence and double standards” and quoted a Palestinian journalist, Mahmoud Al-Amoudi, saying: “Captain Hossam Hassan has risen for us for the second time.”

Ahead of Egypt’s Round of 16 clash with Argentina, Egyptian Streets reported that Hassan called for greater international action to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza during a FIFA World Cup press conference on Monday, 6 July.

“Egypt national team head coach, Hossam Hassan, called for greater international action toaddressthe humanitarian crisis in Gaza during a FIFA World Cup press conference on Monday, 6 July, stating that “any human being” should feel compassion for civilians affected by the ongoing war”

Egyptian Streets

Egyptian Streets quoted Hassan saying, “Everyone has feelings, and if there is a single person in the world who does not feel for the Palestinian people, then they are not human,” and said he stressed that empathy for civilians affected by the ongoing war should be universal.

The report also said Hassan described families living in tents without reliable access to food, shelter, or basic necessities, and he added, “It is a shame on all of us. A shame on the whole world, not just the Arab world or Africa.”

Al Jazeera later reported that Gaza artists created a sand portrait of Hassan in tribute to the support he showed for Palestinians throughout the World Cup, with the piece published on 9 Jul 2026.

AP had already placed Hassan’s remarks in the context of FIFA permitting the Palestinian flag at the World Cup, while the New York Times report described the debate over whether politically-coded flags could be banned under FIFA rules.