A Geneva-based rights group, the Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor, has called on the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) to hold Israel accountable for its actions against Palestinian athletes. The plea comes as Israel’s war on the Gaza Strip continues into its eighth month.
The group reported that at least 270 Palestinian athletes have been killed and numerous sports facilities have been destroyed by Israeli bombings since October of the previous year. They urged the IOC and FIFA to take “decisive action” against Israel, condemning the destruction of sports infrastructure and the conversion of stadiums into mass graves, abuse centers, and detention facilities. The rights group emphasized that these actions violate regional, national, and international laws and conventions.
