"Dignity is not up for negotiation": a fiery message reveals the secret behind Hamed Hamdan's absence from the Palestine national team

At a time preceding Palestine's anticipated clash with Iran, Hamed Hamdan, the Pyramids player, broke his silence to reveal the real reasons behind his absence from his country's national team squad during the current international break, delivering a message filled with much reproach and an adherence to principles, after he stressed that his apology for not joining the camp was not for flimsy reasons, but rather is connected to principles and dignity that cannot be compromised.

Palestine take on Iran in a friendly on Saturday in Iraq, with both sides using the fixture to sharpen up for upcoming commitments. Head coach Ihab Abu Jazar's squad has drawn plenty of attention, mainly for who's missing. The most notable absentee is Pyramids player Hamed Hamdan, alongside Zamalek's Adam Kayed and Zed's Wajdi Nabhan.

Hamdan's absence has raised eyebrows. The player had always shown fierce commitment to representing Palestine and made sacrifices to fulfil his dream of wearing the national shirt, so his omission begged obvious questions. That prompted him to clarify his position himself and shut down the interpretations swirling around his absence.

Six players from the Egyptian league made the cut, led by Zamalek striker Oday Dabbagh and Al-Masry's Ameed Sawafta. Also included were Petrojet pair Badr Mousa and Abdul Hadi Rashed, Ceramica Cleopatra's Khaled Al-Nabris and Arab Contractors' Anas Bani Odeh.

In goal, Abu Jazar named Abdul Hadi Yassin, Rami Hamada and Mahdi Assi. The defensive options are Musab Battat, Khaled Abu Al-Hija, Ali Rabei, Maher Darwish, Ameed Mahajneh, Yasser Hamed and Milad Termanini. For midfield, the coach picked Khaled Dader, Ameed Sawafta, Augustin Mansour, Abdul Hadi Rashed and Ahmed Al-Qaq.

Up front, the list features Anas Bani Odeh, Badr Mousa, Zaid Qunbar, Samer Zubaidi, Khaled Al-Nabris, Asad Hamlawi, Anas Hamlawi and Oday Dabbagh. The technical staff will hope to get the best out of them against Iran.

Breaking his silence for the first time, Hamdan posted a message on his official Instagram account. He affirmed that representing Palestine remains a great honour and a dream he has long chased, stressing that his attachment to the national shirt cannot be questioned or outbid.

The Pyramids player said: "It is a great honour for me, and a dream I have long sought to achieve, to represent our national team and raise the name of our homeland high, and to carry its flag on my chest with all pride and dignity." He added that he had already made great sacrifices to join up, and that this was entirely of his own will, born from his love and belonging to Palestine.

How, he asked, could he turn his back on his country for the unconvincing reasons some are trying to pin on him? His history and his past decisions reflect exactly how deep his attachment runs, he argued, and he does not need to keep proving his love for his homeland in situations where his belonging is repeatedly put up for auction.

The message then took a sharper turn. Hamdan explained the real reasons behind his decision to apologise for skipping the camp, insisting they are neither flimsy nor unconvincing. They are tied to personal and national principles he refuses to abandon under any circumstances.

The Pyramids player said: "My apology for not joining this camp was not for flimsy or unconvincing reasons. Everyone knows the truth of my position and its reasons, which are clear, explicit and valid reasons, related to principles and dignity that cannot be compromised or infringed upon."

Those principles, he added, represent a value cherished by the Palestinian people, who will not accept their dignity diminished or their worth undermined. His love for Palestine is not up for bidding by anyone, he stressed, and he will not let his stance on the camp be twisted into a way of casting doubt on his belonging or his loyalty to the national team.

Hamdan signed off by affirming his respect and appreciation for everyone, while rejecting attempts to distort his image or misrepresent his position. He published the clarification, he explained, to set the record straight and stop the facts being muddled or his stance read away from its real causes.

So Hamdan chose to speak out before the Iran match, framing his absence from the Palestinian national team around dignity and principle. He revealed no further details about the nature of the dispute or the circumstances that kept him from the camp.