Israel wear black armbands in Ireland stalemate

During Israel's Nations League match against Ireland on Sunday, the Israeli players wore black armbands inscribed with "7.10" to honor the victims of Hamas' October 7, 2023 attack. The Irish team mirrored the gesture by wearing the same armbands and bowing their heads during the Israeli national anthem, as they had done in Ireland's previous match in Hungary which Ireland won 3-0.

Both teams also refused to shake hands before the game, which took place in Backa Topola, Serbia. Troy Parrott scored a penalty for Ireland in the 39th minute, and Dor Peretz equalized for Israel two minutes later, sending in the ball from close range after it deflected off an Ireland defender. This result complicates Ireland's qualification prospects, as they are now third in Group 3 of League B, behind Austria and Kosovo, while Israel is at the bottom with just two points.

The Israeli Football Association confirmed that approval for the black armbands was granted by UEFA. The Hamas attack, one of the deadliest in Israeli history, resulted in 1,221 deaths, according to AFP. The subsequent Israeli offensive left most of Gaza in ruins, with over 74,200 casualties, according to Gaza's health ministry.

The two matches against Israel have stirred controversy in Ireland, which has historically backed the Palestinian cause. Demonstrations in support of Palestinians had interrupted Ireland's match against Austria in Dublin on Thursday.