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Palestine at the 2024 Summer Olympics

Palestine competed at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France, from 26 July to 11 August 2024. It was the nation's eighth appearance at the Summer Olympics since its official debut in 1996.

In the lead-up to the event, concerns were raised about the ability of Palestinian athletes to participate due to the destruction of sporting facilities and the exposure to potential harm amid the Gaza war. The Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel reported that, according to the Palestine Football Association, 69 Palestinian athletes of Olympic sports were killed in Israeli attacks or as a result of the intensification of the Israeli blockade between October 2023 and July 2024, including Nagham Abu Samra, a karateka who was expected to compete in the event, and several members of the national volleyball team, as well as Majed Abu Maraheel, Palestine's first Olympic flagbearer, Hani Al-Masdar, assistant coach of the Palestinian Olympic football team, and Bilal Abu Samaan, coach of the country's athletics team. Gazan weightlifter Mohammed Hamada, who had competed in the 2020 Olympics, lost in the famine and injured his knee while transporting water, thus failing to qualify for the 2024 event.

Several members of the Palestinian delegation additionally stressed on the importance they felt Palestinian representation would have in the context of the war, as well as their intention to bring a "message of peace". This included the shirt worn by flagbearer Wasim Abusal during the opening flag parade, which depicted two children playing under warplanes dropping bombs, accompanied by the Olympic rings, olive branches and the Arabic word for 'freedom' ().

Competitors

The following is the list of number of competitors in the Games. A total of eight athletes competed, the highest number in Palestinian Olympic history.

Athletics

Palestine sent two middle-distance runners to compete at the 2024 Summer Olympics.

Track events

Boxing

For the first time, Palestine entered one boxer into the Olympic tournament. Wasim Abusal (men's featherweight) qualified for the games through the allocation of a universality spot.

Judo

Palestine qualified one judoka for the following weight class at the Games. Fares Badawi qualified for the games through the allocation of a universality spot.

Shooting

For the first time, Palestinian shooters achieved one quota place for Paris 2024 based on the allocations of universality spots.

Swimming

Palestine sent two swimmers to compete at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Taekwondo

For the first time, Palestine qualified one athlete to compete at the games. Omar Yaser Ismail qualified for the games after winning the semifinal rounds in his class at the 2024 Asian Qualification Tournament in Tai'an, China, marking the nations debut in this sport.

See also

References