Palestine edged Libya 4-3 on penalties on Tuesday to secure a place in the Arab Cup, bringing joy to Palestinians in the wake of the war in Gaza. The team will join hosts Qatar, Tunisia and Syria in Group A for the tournament beginning in December.

The playoff in Doha ended 0-0 after 90 minutes before Palestine held its nerve in the shootout to reach the 16-team tournament.

¡°This was the toughest playoff match,¡± coach Ihab Abu Jazar told Al Kass TV. ¡°Libya are strong. Our circumstances and absences made it harder, but we are proud. Football is one of the few things that can bring happiness to Palestinians.

¡°We are different from other teams. They play to compete, but we play for two goals: to send messages through football and to develop Palestinian football. Our team has become a big name in Asia and was close to reaching the World Cup playoff.

¡°We play for more than trophies ¡ª we play to send a message and bring joy to our people,¡± he added.

Both teams created chances in regular and extra time but failed to convert, sending the game to penalties.

Forward Oday Dabbagh said fatigue was a factor after several players had club matches 48 hours earlier.

¡°God helped us in the shootout. The team is improving and more players are going abroad,¡± he added.

Captain Musab Al-Battat said qualifying for the Arab Cup was ¡°a source of pride,¡± adding ¡°just making Palestinian children smile is an achievement for every player.¡±

Despite the devastation in Gaza, Palestine has continued to progress on the pitch. The team came close to reaching Asia¡¯s World Cup playoff and has already secured a spot at the 2027 Asian Cup.

The Arab Cup runs from Dec. 1-18.