Ireland beats Israel 3-0 wearing black armbands to support Gaza

The Republic of Ireland football team refrained from shaking hands with their Israeli opponents and bowed their heads during the Israeli national anthem prior to their UEFA Nations League match in Hungary on Sunday. This pre-match gesture was part of the controversy surrounding the fixture, which coincides with the Israel-Gaza war.

Ireland went on to secure a 3-0 victory. Manager Heimir Hallgrimsson acknowledged that the players' actions had drawn global attention to the conflict, stating, "I hope that will not be in the next game because they have shown support for the protest, they have raised awareness worldwide, not only in Ireland, on the subject." Goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu withdrew from the squad, expressing his belief that participation would be wrong, though his decision did not provoke objections from his teammates.

The Irish players also donned black armbands during the match as a symbol of respect for those lost in the Gaza conflict. Jack Moylan, after scoring Ireland's third goal, removed his armband and paid tribute by kissing it before kissing the team badge. The match between Ireland and Israel has been a subject of calls for a boycott since the UEFA Nations League draw in February.

The FAI had previously supported a motion requesting UEFA to suspend Israel from its competitions. Over 160 Irish athletes also penned an open letter urging the national team not to play the matches. Despite concerns that a boycott could cause significant harm to the association, the FAI decided to proceed with the fixtures, citing the difficulty of a boycott given its potential consequences.

The two matches are being held at neutral venues, with Ireland's home game relocated from Dublin to Backa Topola in Serbia. The controversy escalated after Hallgrimsson initially described the team as "not playing with genocide, but playing against genocide," later retracting the use of the term "genocide" as incorrect. Israel has consistently denied claims of committing genocide or war crimes in Gaza, asserting that its military operations are in self-defense and adhere to international law.

The conflict escalated following Hamas's attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, resulting in approximately 1,200 deaths and the taking of 251 hostages. In response, Israel initiated a military offensive in Gaza, leading to the loss of over 73,000 people, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry.