Ireland thrash Israel as players stage Gaza protest during Nations League match

Ireland beat Israel 3-0 in the UEFA Nations League on Sunday in a match marked by a series of protests from Irish players over Israel’s war on Gaza.

Before kickoff in Debrecen, Hungary, the Irish players bowed their heads as Israel’s national anthem was played and wore black armbands in memory of Palestinians killed in Gaza.

The protest continued after the anthems, with the traditional pre-match handshake ceremony not taking place. The two teams did not line up to shake hands, while the captains also did not exchange pennants or shake hands.

On the pitch, Ireland took control quickly, racing into a 3-0 lead inside the opening 25 minutes.

Jack Moylan, who scored Ireland’s third goal, marked his strike by removing his black armband, kissing it and raising it in the air in a gesture of solidarity with Gaza.

There were also no jersey exchanges between players after the final whistle.

The match came amid heightened attention over Ireland’s stance toward Israel’s war on Gaza. It had been doubt earlier in the week amid calls in Ireland for the team to boycott the fixture.

Ireland head coach Heimir Hallgrimsson had said before the game that some players felt “really uncomfortable” about facing Israel and described the team as playing “against genocide.” Ireland goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu also decided not to take part in either Sunday’s match or next week’s return fixture because of the “killing of innocent people.”

The return fixture, officially an Ireland home game, has been moved from Dublin to Backa Topola, Serbia, and is scheduled to be played behind closed doors on Oct. 4.