Gianni Infantino, the president of FIFA, wrote to the Israeli football association to demand an “immediate end of hostilities” between Israelis and Palestinians.
As the conflict worsens, Infantino asserted that football can be a “vehicle for peace” and “light of hope where there appears to be only darkness ahead.”
This comes almost a week after Hamas militants attacked Israel, killing 1,300 people and injuring thousands more.
In Gaza, more than 1,500 people have perished since Israel began its extensive retaliation.
According to Sky News, Infantino urged peace in a letter to Shino Moshe Zuares, the head of the Israeli football association.
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“I would like to express, on behalf of FIFA and the entire international football community, our deepest condolences to the Israel Football Association and the Palestine Football Association, in light of the horrendous violence that has been occurring over the past few days,” Infantino wrote.
“It is as heartbreaking as it is shocking to see a region, whose people have known such profound suffering over far too long, suffer even more.
“The footballing world stands firmly in solidarity with the people of Israel and Palestine, and with all the innocent victims that have paid an unspeakable price.
“FIFA joins in calling for the immediate end of hostilities and for the immediate relief of the suffering of the people of both Israel and Palestine.
“Of course, we know that football cannot solve the problems of the World, but it can play even a small part in bringing a light of hope where there appears to be only darkness ahead.
“Football shows that it is possible to bring people together in an environment of mutual respect, acting as a vehicle for peace and, eventually, reconciliation, even when this may have seemed impossible to all but a few.
“I would like to stress that FIFA will do whatever we possibly can to assist you in your relief efforts and to restore peace and hope to your people now and into the future.”
Football in Israel has been suspended indefinitely, as UEFA postponed the Israeli national team’s European Championship qualifying matches against Switzerland and Kosovo.
UEFA stated in a statement on Thursday that Sunday’s qualifier with Kosovo in Pristina cannot be played due to Israel’s government’s current ban on its national team travelling abroad.
It happened as Israel continued its campaign to exterminate the Hamas terrorist organization and dropped flyers over northern Gaza ordering more than a million people to “evacuate your homes immediately” and flee south.
