Doha. It is more than a game for The Lions of Canaan. Palestine’s football team has made it to the knockouts of the 2023 Asian Cup under unimaginable circumstances. Palestine beat Hong Kong 3-0 on Tuesday making them the best third-place team across all the groups and securing their spot in the round of 16. Palestine will face Qatar on Monday. 

Palestine defender Mohammed Saleh wept as the final whistle blew on the Hong Kong match. Saleh's family is currently trapped in Gaza and the defender has struggled to contact his family whilst playing in Qatar. 

Saleh, who plays in the Malaysia Super League, spoke to a Qatari media outlet about what the game meant for him. His comments were translated by independent sports journalist Leyla Hamed.

"My three cousins were martyrs the day before yesterday," Saleh said at the close of the Hong Kong match. "They bombed my uncle’s house. They were all injured, may God heal them and make them well. My family is displaced from house to house to house. They have finally been displaced to the South."

Like Indonesia, the Palestinian team have defied the odds and have made it to the knockouts of the Asian Cup for the first time in history. For players hailing from Gaza, the win is a glimmer of triumph while Israeli occupation devastates their homes. During the Hong Kong game, Saleh displayed the number 110 on his forearm, representing the number of days since Israel's war in Gaza began. 
 
"I am from Gaza and a son of Gaza, and I know our steadfastness and patience. I also know the suffering that my people are going through in Gaza," Saleh said.
 
Palestine will face hosts Qatar on Monday night. Battling against a hometown advantage, the squad has a huge challenge ahead, but many nations have expressed unwavering support for Palestine within the Asian Cup. Palestinian flags could be spotted amongst the crowds of Indonesian and Qatari fans in their previous Asian Cup matches. 
 
"Sports is a strong force for raising awareness about Palestine," says Leyla Hamed, an independent sports journalist with 31,000 followers on Instagram. 

Hamed has been working alongside FC Palestina to report on their Asian Cup campaign and promote their activism against Israeli occupation. 
 
Hamed and FC Palestina have advocated for Red Card Israel, a South-African grassroots movement that calls FIFA to suspend Israel's membership. The movement and petition aim to pressure Israel into a ceasefire through global sports sanctions. 
 
Since being eliminated from the 2023 Asian Cup after a 4-0 loss against Australia, many Indonesian fans are shifting their support towards the Lions of Canaan. 

"My national team, Indonesia has been eliminated. Next, I will be supporting the Palestinian national team to win the Asian Cup," tweeted @Donafsastra from Jakarta.

 
"HISTORY" tweeted @Siska_larass, an Indonesian activist. "For the first time in history, Palestine qualified for the last 16 of the Asian Cup/Free Palestine”. 

The Lions of Canaan have expressed gratitude for the international support, but struggle to find solace in their Asian Cup achievements. Centre-back Yaser Hamed admits to mentally struggling while his home country is under occupation. 

"It is very difficult to stay focused of course," Hamed told Al Arabiya. 

“I have family in Gaza, and they are moving to another place to be safe; many players have lost family...all the suffering in Gaza, it fills your mind". 
 
Palestine will face Qatar on Monday at 23:00 WIB, with both teams needing a win to secure their place in the quarter-finals. 

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