Poland, Israel Under-21 players refuse to play first minute at Euro Qualifying

According to media reports, football’s governing body UEFA, did not approve the minute of silence during the Poland and Israel match on Thursday.

REPRESENTATIVE IMAGE: Poland and Israel football players refused to play the first minute of the U-21 European Championship Qualifying match. | Photo Credit: REUTERS

Poland and Israel players declined to play the first minute of their European Under-21 Championship Qualifying match as a gesture of solidarity with the victims of the October 7 Hamas attacks.

According to media reports, football’s governing body UEFA, did not approve the minute of silence on Friday.  Reuters has contacted UEFA for a comment.

Hosts Poland won the game 2-1.

Israeli forces have attacked Gaza for weeks in retaliation for the assault by Hamas militants on southern Israel. Israel says Hamas killed 1,200 people and took about 240 hostages. Gaza health authorities say more than 12,000 Palestinians have been killed in the Israeli counteroffensive.

Israel sits at the bottom of Group D after two defeats in as many games, while Poland leads, having won all of its four.

Israeli clubs Maccabi Haifa and Maccabi Tel Aviv will play their next home fixtures in Serbia behind closed doors after their European campaigns came to a halt due to the Israel-Gaza conflict.