GAZA CITY—In a move described by local analysts as ‘the least painful option available,’ Gaza football fans banded together Sunday to root for Spain during the World Cup, citing a deep desire not to cheer for the Saudi Arabian team for the 12th tournament in a row.

“Look, it’s not that we have anything particularly against Saudi Arabia, but there’s only so many times you can pretend to love a squad whose most exciting striker is a 43-year-old forward named Yasser who jogs for 89 minutes,” said longtime fan Kareem El-Hashimi, donning a red Spain jersey and humming ‘La Macarena.’ “Supporting Spain at least gives us a chance to yell ‘Olé’ every now and then.”

Local sports bar owner Fatima Abdul-Raouf confirmed an unprecedented spike in demand for Spanish flags and paella. “Last night our fans were desperately googling the lyrics to the Spanish national anthem, only to discover it doesn’t have any. Frankly, it’s a relief.”

Despite the region’s tumultuous political climate, Gaza’s support for Spain reportedly provided a rare moment of unity. “Cheering for Saudi Arabia always feels like eating unsalted rice cakes. Supporting Spain is like borrowing your neighbor’s cable subscription—it’s technically not allowed, but everybody’s happier for it,” explained football enthusiast Mahmoud Ghanem as he hand-painted a cardboard cutout of Sergio Ramos.

At press time, sources confirmed that the same fans were already scouting exotic nations to support in the next major tournament, citing ‘Spain Fatigue.’