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Here Are the Israelis Competing in the 2024 Olympics
Olympic gold medalist Artem Dolgopyat of Israel celebrates on the podium with his medal, Ariake Gymnastics Centre; Tokyo, Japan; August 1, 2021. REUTERS/Mike Blake
Once again, we find ourselves at the dawn of another Summer Olympics.
Last time around, Israel had its best ever Olympics — winning two gold and two bronze medals, as well a couple of fourth place finishes. It was the country’s largest delegation ever, featuring 90 athletes.
This year, Israel is sending 88 athletes in 16 sports to Paris — and they’re an incredible squad.
So which Israeli athletes should you watch out for this summer?
Reigning Olympic gold medalist in the floor exercise, Artem Dolgopyat, is back and will be hard to beat.
Also competing in artistic gymnastics is Lihie Raz, who will perform in the individual all-around. Daria Atamanov is competing in the individual all-around of rhythmic gymnastics, and Israel’s incredibly skilled quintet is also competing in the team event.
Following in the footsteps of the Israeli baseball team that played at the Tokyo Olympics, Israel has qualified in a ball sport for the second consecutive Olympic games — this time, it’s soccer. Given how much Israelis like the sport, expect this to be closely followed, especially since Israel hasn’t qualified for a World Cup since 1970.
Israel’s soccer team is in a group with Mali, Paraguay, and Japan. If they can advance to the knockout rounds, anything is possible.
The Israeli swimming team features 20 athletes, which is just remarkable. The stand-out performers are Anastasia Gorbenko, who is competing in six individual events and two relays, and Matan Roditi, who is competing in the 10KM open water event after finishing in fourth place in Tokyo.
Israel’s swimming depth is showcased by the fact that it’s able to field teams in four of the relays. Additionally, Shelly Bobritsky and Ariel Nassee will compete in the duet of artistic swimming, and could make the finals for the first time.
The next largest team is the judo team, featuring five men and seven women. The headliners are world champion Inbar Lanir and European champion Raz Hershko. Israel didn’t win an individual medal in Tokyo, but it won bronze in the team event, which it will be competing in once again.
Staying with the martial arts, reigning bronze medalist Avishag Semberg is back again. In other categories, shooter Sergey Richter and badminton player Misha Zilberman are both back for their fourth Olympics.
In terms of new things, Israel is sending a female archer for the first time, Mikaella Moshe, who will be there with male archer Roy Dror.
Israel has a track cyclist for the first time since the 1950s with Mikhail Yakovlev, and Yuval Freilich is the first Israeli fencer since 2008.
Additionally, Israel could win an athletics medal for the first time. It’s sending five marathon runners, as well as U23 European champion 200m runner Blessing Afrifah.
The sailing team consists of eight sailors, with windsurfer Sharon Kantor the reigning World Champion. Gal Zukerman is competing in the kiteboard, and will join both of her parents in becoming an Olympian. The sailing won’t be happening in Paris, but rather in Marseilles.
Another event happening outside of Paris is surfing, which will take place in Tahiti. Surfer Anat Lelior is back for her second Olympics, as is Shachar Sagiv in the triathlon.
The showjumping team has also made it two Olympics in a row by qualifying for Paris.
It’s a wonderful team, and we can’t wait to see them compete in these upcoming Olympics.
David Wiseman is the co-founder of Follow Team Israel, a page that shares the stories of Israeli sports to the world. You can find it on Facebook and Instagram. He is also the head of online reputation management at Buzzdealer.
The post Here Are the Israelis Competing in the 2024 Olympics 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.