Israel was hit by an unprecedented rocket attack from the Gaza Strip on October 7, with Hamas movement's troops infiltrating border areas. On October 8, the Israeli government announced that it had invoked Article 40 of the Basic Law, which means the country was officially in a state of war.

Iranian Football Federation Urges FIFA to Suspend Israel Over Gaza War

08:36, 11 February 2024

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The UN special rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories, Francesca Albanese, reportedly believes Israel might be contravening the recent rulings of the International Court of Justice, under which it has to prevent a genocide and guarantee the provision of humanitarian assistance to the Gaza Strip.

Sputnik

The Iranian football’s governing body urged the world football’s authority FIFA on Saturday to "completely suspend" Israel over its deadly onslaught in the Gaza Strip.

"An immediate action by FIFA […] will be a symbol of philanthropy and the implementation of the charter of the world football community in the field of social and human responsibilities," the Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran said in a statement.

Iran is the latest Middle Eastern country to call for a ban on Israel as the death toll from the war in Gaza continues to climb. The enclave's health ministry said on Saturday that the number of Palestinians killed in the past four months had topped 28,000.

A group of 12 Middle Eastern football associations, including from Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, urged FIFA this week to ban Israel from competing. The Israeli team will face the Irish in a European Championship qualifying playoff in Hungary's Budapest on March 21.