Israel prevents football players from leaving Gaza

Israeli occupation authorities on Wednesday prevented nine players of a Palestinian football club from leaving the Gaza Strip to participate in the final match of the Palestinian Cup in the Israeli occupied West Bank.

The Rafah Youngsters team is slated to play Hebron-based team, Ahly al-Khalil on Friday.

Palestinian Youth and Sports Supreme Council member, Abdussalam Haniyye, wrote on his Facebook page that the players were denied exit from the Gaza Strip.

Haniyye asked FIFA, the international football governing body, to take action to end the controversial violations.

Last year’s Palestinian cup final was delayed after six players from a Gaza team were refused permission to travel. The decision was later reversed after a FIFA complaint to Israeli authorities.

Read: FIFA withdraws talks on teams in Israeli settlements