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Amid the Gaza War, Israeli Athletes Face Discrimination, But Triumph Overseas
Since October 7, sports have been put on the backburner in Israel. But as Israel fights to defeat Hamas in Gaza, some of the country’s athletes are returning to competition, especially as qualification tournaments get underway for the Paris Olympics. In 2021, Israel had its best ever Olympic Games, winning a record four medals — two of which were gold — in Tokyo.
In recent days, the 2024 Israeli team has grown, with IQFoilers (windsurfers) Sharon Kantor and Tom Reuveney securing their Olympics spots at the recent World Championships; Kantor won the women’s event, and Reuveney finished eighth. This is a very special event in Israel’s sporting history, as three of its 13 Olympic medals (including its first ever gold) came in this event.
Elsewhere, the Israeli swimming team is currently in Qatar at the World Championships. The highlight, thus far, was Anastasia Gorbenko’s fourth place in the 200m Individual Medley. At this stage, Israel has qualified swimmers in nine different events at Paris, as well as the team-based artistic swimming duet.
In 2024, Israel will send its first soccer team to the Olympics since 1976. Time will tell if Israeli athletes will qualify in sports such as archery, skateboarding, climbing, surfing, and fencing.
Israel hasn’t sent a fencer to the Olympics since 2008, but that could change after Yuval Freilich won gold at the Epee Grand Prix event in Qatar. What a surreal thrill to hear Hatikvah played in Qatar during these times.
The current situation in Israel has caused turmoil for many of our athletes overseas. There was quite a ruckus about our women’s basketball team playing against Ireland, where the Irish team refused to shake hands with their Jewish competitors.
Israel’s U20 ice hockey team was told they wouldn’t be able to take their place in the Division III Group A World Championships in Bulgaria due to security concerns. After a backlash, this was reversed, and the Israeli team went undefeated to win promotion to Division II Group B.
In tennis, Mika Buchnik made it to the second round of the girl’s singles at the Australian Open, while Guy Sasson lost in the final of both the quad singles and doubles. The Davis Cup team lost a tricky tie to the Czech Republic, and in September, the Israeli team hosts Ukraine in a bid to stay in World Group I.
Our combat athletes in Judo, Taekwondo, and MMA continue to shine, with Olympic spots on the line for those in judo and taekwondo.
And while the Summer Olympics get all the attention, Israel is also making great strides in winter sports. Figure skater Sophia Shifrin did a fantastic job at the Winter Youth Olympics in South Korea, finishing 12th in the Women’s singles.
At the start of the year, Israel-Premier Tech cyclist Stephen Williams won the Tour Down Under, while the team was in second place, just four seconds behind the top spot.
Despite all that is going on in the world, our athletes put their emotions to the side and compete at the highest level. We couldn’t be prouder of them.
David Wiseman is the co-founder of Follow Team Israel and the Head of Online Reputation Management for Buzz Dealer.
The post Amid the Gaza War, Israeli Athletes Face Discrimination, But Triumph Overseas first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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After False Dawns, Gazans Hope Trump Will Force End to Two-Year-Old War
Palestinians walk past a residential building destroyed in previous Israeli strikes, after Hamas agreed to release hostages and accept some other terms in a US plan to end the war, in Nuseirat, central Gaza Strip October 4, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Mahmoud Issa
Exhausted Palestinians in Gaza clung to hopes on Saturday that US President Donald Trump would keep up pressure on Israel to end a two-year-old war that has killed tens of thousands and displaced the entire population of more than two million.
Hamas’ declaration that it was ready to hand over hostages and accept some terms of Trump’s plan to end the conflict while calling for more talks on several key issues was greeted with relief in the enclave, where most homes are now in ruins.
“It’s happy news, it saves those who are still alive,” said 32-year-old Saoud Qarneyta, reacting to Hamas’ response and Trump’s intervention. “This is enough. Houses have been damaged, everything has been damaged, what is left? Nothing.”
GAZAN RESIDENT HOPES ‘WE WILL BE DONE WITH WARS’
Ismail Zayda, 40, a father of three, displaced from a suburb in northern Gaza City where Israel launched a full-scale ground operation last month, said: “We want President Trump to keep pushing for an end to the war, if this chance is lost, it means that Gaza City will be destroyed by Israel and we might not survive.
“Enough, two years of bombardment, death and starvation. Enough,” he told Reuters on a social media chat.
“God willing this will be the last war. We will hopefully be done with the wars,” said 59-year-old Ali Ahmad, speaking in one of the tented camps where most Palestinians now live.
“We urge all sides not to backtrack. Every day of delay costs lives in Gaza, it is not just time wasted, lives get wasted too,” said Tamer Al-Burai, a Gaza City businessman displaced with members of his family in central Gaza Strip.
After two previous ceasefires — one near the start of the war and another earlier this year — lasted only a few weeks, he said; “I am very optimistic this time, maybe Trump’s seeking to be remembered as a man of peace, will bring us real peace this time.”
RESIDENT WORRIES THAT NETANYAHU WILL ‘SABOTAGE’ DEAL
Some voiced hopes of returning to their homes, but the Israeli military issued a fresh warning to Gazans on Saturday to stay out of Gaza City, describing it as a “dangerous combat zone.”
Gazans have faced previous false dawns during the past two years, when Trump and others declared at several points during on-off negotiations between Hamas, Israel and Arab and US mediators that a deal was close, only for war to rage on.
“Will it happen? Can we trust Trump? Maybe we trust Trump, but will Netanyahu abide this time? He has always sabotaged everything and continued the war. I hope he ends it now,” said Aya, 31, who was displaced with her family to Deir Al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip.
She added: “Maybe there is a chance the war ends at October 7, two years after it began.”
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Mass Rally in Rome on Fourth Day of Italy’s Pro-Palestinian Protests
A Pro-Palestinian demonstrator waves a Palestinian flag during a national protest for Gaza in Rome, Italy, October 4, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Claudia Greco
Large crowds assembled in central Rome on Saturday for the fourth straight day of protests in Italy since Israel intercepted an international flotilla trying to deliver aid to Gaza, and detained its activists.
People holding banners and Palestinian flags, chanting “Free Palestine” and other slogans, filed past the Colosseum, taking part in a march that organizers hoped would attract at least 1 million people.
“I’m here with a lot of other friends because I think it is important for us all to mobilize individually,” Francesco Galtieri, a 65-year-old musician from Rome, said. “If we don’t all mobilize, then nothing will change.”
Since Israel started blocking the flotilla late on Wednesday, protests have sprung up across Europe and in other parts of the world, but in Italy they have been a daily occurrence, in multiple cities.
On Friday, unions called a general strike in support of the flotilla, with demonstrations across the country that attracted more than 2 million, according to organizers. The interior ministry estimated attendance at around 400,000.
Italy’s right-wing government has been critical of the protests, with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni suggesting that people would skip work for Gaza just as an excuse for a longer weekend break.
On Saturday, Meloni blamed protesters for insulting graffiti that appeared on a statue of the late Pope John Paul II outside Rome’s main train station, where Pro-Palestinian groups have been holding a protest picket.
“They say they are taking to the streets for peace, but then they insult the memory of a man who was a true defender and builder of peace. A shameful act committed by people blinded by ideology,” she said in a statement.
Israel launched its Gaza offensive after Hamas terrorists staged a cross border attack on October 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people and taking 251 people hostage.
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Hamas Says It Agrees to Release All Israeli Hostages Under Trump Gaza Plan
Smoke rises during an Israeli military operation in Gaza City, as seen from the central Gaza Strip, October 2, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Dawoud Abu Alkas
Hamas said on Friday it had agreed to release all Israeli hostages, alive or dead, under the terms of US President Donald Trump’s Gaza proposal, and signaled readiness to immediately enter mediated negotiations to discuss the details.