It was bombed by Israel on April 1, 2006, directly on the centre spot, which made the stadium unusable due to the crater formed. FIFA announced that it would fund the repair work.[2][3][1] It was again bombed on November 19, 2012, by the Israeli Defence Force as part of Operation Pillar of Cloud. Israel said that the latest bombing was due to its use by Hamas militants to launch rockets targeting Israel.[4] The stadium and a nearby indoor sports hall suffered major damage and resulted in football players from around the globe releasing a signed petition.[5][6]
As of 2019, the stadium had been repaired by FIFA[7] and has hosted several events, both in the indoor sports halls[8][9] and the outdoor field.
During the 2023 Israel–Hamas war the stadium would again be targeted by Israeli airstrikes leaving it inoperable as the Palestinian national team seeks to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The national team will use the Sharjah Stadium in the United Arab Emirates as their new home venue.[10][11] Per media reports, the location has been converted into an Israeli Defence Forces detention camp, with video depicting detainees, including children, shared by Israeli sources via social media.[12]
