Israel wear black armbands in Ireland stalemate

In Sunday's Nations League match between Israel and Ireland, the Israeli team honored the victims of the October 7 Hamas attack by wearing black armbands inscribed with the date "7.10." This gesture was in response to the Irish players wearing similar armbands to protest the ongoing war in Gaza. The teams did not shake hands before the match, as they had done in Israel's previous game in Hungary, which Ireland won 3-0.

The match ended in a 1-1 draw, with Troy Parrott scoring for Ireland and Dor Peretz equalizing for Israel. Israel currently leads Group 3 of League B with two points, while Ireland sits third with three points. The Israeli Football Association confirmed that UEFA had approved the players' request to wear the black armbands. The Hamas-led attack resulted in over 1,200 deaths and has led to widespread destruction in Gaza, with more than 74,000 people killed by the Israeli response.

Ireland's recent matches against Israel have been contentious, with demonstrations in support of Palestinians disrupting the game in Dublin. Israel has faced difficulties hosting matches on its own soil due to security concerns, leading to the match in Backa Topola, Serbia.