Brussels: Dozens of athletes have called on the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) to suspend Israel for its human rights violations against Palestinians. In a letter to UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin, the Athletes for Peace, representing over 70 sports figures, supported calls for the organization to sever ties with the Israel Football Association.

According to Anadolu Agency, the letter penned by the Game Over Israel organization is supported by Athletes 4 Peace, The Gaza Tribunal, and The Hind Rajab Foundation. The letter strongly urged that no international venue should welcome a regime accused of committing genocide, apartheid, and other crimes against humanity.

Prominent athletes, including French World Cup champion Paul Pogba, Dutch forward Anwar El Ghazi, Moroccan player Hakim Ziyech, and Spanish winger Adama Traore, backed the call. The letter emphasized that Israel's alleged impunity for such crimes could only be challenged by collective action, including measures to block their participation in sporting or cultural events.

The letter addressed to Ceferin, highlighted his own words that "football belongs to everyone," and warned against allowing individuals who harm humanity into the sport, which could undermine football's core values. This petition is part of a broader campaign to have UEFA ban Israel from participating in tournaments over ongoing attacks in Gaza.

The Health Ministry reports that since October 2023, the Israeli army has killed more than 69,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, injured over 170,000 others, and rendered the Gaza Strip uninhabitable.