Israel’s engagement with the Palestinian militant group Hamas has brought everything to a standstill.
Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel on July 7. According to AP, Reuters, and other foreign news organizations, clashes between Israeli forces and Hamas militants have been going on for three days in seven or eight locations in the southern Gaza Strip. The fighting is expected to continue for a long time as Israel has taken a hardline stance against Hamas.
War stops everything. Even sports have stopped. The Israeli government announced on Aug. 8 that all cultural and sporting events will be canceled until further notice. The Israeli professional basketball league (Winner League) was originally scheduled to open its 2023-2024 season on Sept. 9, but both have been postponed indefinitely.
Teams competing in European interleague competitions (Euroleague, Eurocup, Champions League) are awaiting instructions from the authorities’ Interior and Frontline Command.
Maccabi Tel Aviv, the top team in the Winners League, will play Armani Milano in Milan, Italy (Euroleague) and Hapoel Jerusalem will play Benfica in Lisbon, Portugal (Champions League). According to WallaSport, the Israeli teams are awaiting instructions from the authorities’ Interior and Frontline Command to allow them to leave the country. The International Basketball Association (FIBA) is also monitoring the situation and is considering rescheduling games if the fighting continues. 토토사이트
The non-Israeli players are hoping to get to safety. Most of the players will leave Israel on a special flight to Greece on Tuesday, the outlet reported.