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Israeli Soccer Star Booted From Turkish Club for Highlighting Plight of Hamas Hostages Lands in Tel Aviv
Israeli soccer star Sagiv Jehezkel arrives in Tel Aviv from Turkey. Photo: Reuters/Alexandre Meneghini
The Israeli soccer player whose professional contract was abruptly terminated by a Turkish club after he drew attention to the plight of Israeli hostages held by Hamas terrorists in Gaza landed in Tel Aviv on Monday evening, where he gratefully declared, “there is nowhere like Israel.”
The arrival of Sagiv Jehezkel in his homeland brought to an end a nightmare that began on Sunday, after the Israeli winger scored an equalizing goal for his team, Antalyaspor, against Trabzonspor in the Turkish league contest.
After scoring in the 68th minute, Jehezkel, who only signed for Antalyaspor last September, ran to the touchline where, as part of his celebration, he displayed a bandage wrapped around his wrist to the camera bearing the words “100 days. 07/10” alongside a Star of David — a reference to the Oct. 7 Hamas pogrom in southern Israel.
Predictably, Jehezkel’s gesture resulted in a furious reaction in Turkey, where the government of President Recep Tayyip Erodgan enthusiastically supports Hamas, which it describes as a “liberation” organization. Insults targeted at Jehezkel circulated widely on social media while a group of Antalyaspor fans gathered at the club’s training ground bellowing the slogan, “Zionist dog.” The club’s chairman, Sinan Boztepe, quickly dismissed Jehezkel from the team. “I watched with sadness and surprise that Sagiv Jehezkel acted against the sensitivities of Antalya, Antalyaspor, and our country,” Boztepe posted on X/Twitter. Separately, the Caglayan Group, a company which sponsors the team’s jersey, said it would withdraw its support unless Jehezkel was dismissed from the team.
Following Jehezkel’s departure from Turkey on a private plane, Turkey’s Interior Minister, Ali Yerlikaya, expressed satisfaction in an X/Twitter post.
“Antalyaspor’s Israeli football player Sagiv Jehezkel left our country as of 17.15,” he wrote. “I would like to point out once again that Turkey is always on the side of all the oppressed and the Palestinian people.”
Prior to his departure, Jehezkel was taken into custody where his phone was confiscated. Following his release, Turkey’s Justice Minister, Yilmaz Tunc, said an investigation had been launched into the player’s “ugly action supporting Israel’s massacre in Gaza.” It is unclear whether Jehezkel would face criminal charges in Turkey were he to return there.
Speaking to broadcaster NTV following the incident, Jehezkel said he “did not act to incite or provoke anyone.”
“I am not a pro-war person,” he said. “There are Israeli soldiers held hostage in Gaza. I am someone who believes that this 100-day period should end now. I want the war to end. That’s why I showed the message here.”
Israeli politicians slammed the Turkish action. “When there was an earthquake in Turkey less than a year ago, Israel was the first country to stand up and extend aid that saved the lives of many Turkish citizens,” Defense Minister Yoav Gallant wrote on X/Twitter. “The scandalous arrest of the soccer player Sagiv Jehezkel is an expression of hypocrisy and ingratitude. Through its actions, Turkey serves as the executive arm of Hamas.”
As well as Jehezkel, another Israeli soccer player in Turkey is facing disciplinary proceedings. The Istanbul club Basaksehir said it would act against against the Israeli midfielder Eden Kartsev for harming “sensitive values” in Turkey. Kartsev was also briefly detained on Monday about a post on Instagram highlighting the plight of Israeli hostages, state media reported.
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Pro-Palestinian Rapper Leads ‘Death to the IDF’ Chant at English Music festival
Revellers dance as Avril Lavigne performs on the Other Stage during the Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm, in Pilton, Somerset, Britain, June 30, 2024. Photo: REUTERS/Dylan Martinez
i24 News – Chants of “death to the IDF” were heard during the English Glastonbury music festival on Saturday ahead of the appearance of the pro-Palestinian Irish rappers Kneecap.
One half of punk duo based Bob Vylan (who both use aliases to protect their privacy) shouted out during a section of their show “Death to the IDF” – the Israeli military. Videos posted on X (formerly Twitter) show the crowd responding to and repeating the cheer.
This comes after officials had petitioned the music festival to drop the band. The rap duo also expressed support for the following act, Kneecap, who the BCC refused to show live after one of its members, Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh – better known by stage name Mo Chara – was charged with a terror offense.
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Rubio Holds First Meeting with Hostage Families, Urges End to Gaza War
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio attends a cabinet meeting at the White House in Washington, DC, US, April 10, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Nathan Howard
i24 News – US Secretary of State Marco Rubio held on Friday his first meeting with the families of the hostages still held in Gaza since taking office in January, telling the loved ones that a “real victory” can only occur in Gaza when the remaining hostages are returned.
Those in attendance included Omri Miran’s brother-in-law; Evyatar David’s brother; Hadar Goldin’s brother; and Iair Horn, who himself is a freed hostage, with his brother Eitan still held by Hamas in Gaza.
According to the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, they urged the current US administration for a “bold decision.” “We’ve waited long enough,” the family members said. “It’s time to make brave decisions and bring all our loved ones back—all at once.”
Rubio, in turn, expressed the Trump administration’s “unwavering commitment” in rescuing the 49 remaining hostages, 20 of whom are believed to still be alive.
This meeting comes after U.S. President Donald Trump said earlier this week that he believes a ceasefire will be reached between Israel and Hamas “within the next week.”
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Trump Says He Would Consider Bombing Iran Again, Drops Sanctions Relief Plan
US President Donald Trump speaks at a meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte (not pictured), at the NATO summit in The Hague, Netherlands, June 25, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Brian Snyder
US President Donald Trump sharply criticized Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamanei, on Friday, dropped plans to lift sanctions on Iran and said he would consider bombing Iran again if Tehran is enriching uranium to worrisome levels.
Trump reacted sternly to Khamanei’s first remarks after a 12-day conflict with Israel that ended when the United States launched bombing raids last weekend against Iranian nuclear sites.
Khamanei said Iran “slapped America in the face” by launching an attack against a major US base in Qatar following the US bombing raids. Khamanei also said Iran would never surrender.
Trump said he had spared Khamanei’s life. US officials told Reuters on June 15 that Trump had vetoed an Israeli plan to kill the supreme leader.
“His Country was decimated, his three evil Nuclear Sites were OBLITERATED, and I knew EXACTLY where he was sheltered, and would not let Israel, or the U.S. Armed Forces, by far the Greatest and Most Powerful in the World, terminate his life,” Trump said in a social media post.
“I SAVED HIM FROM A VERY UGLY AND IGNOMINIOUS DEATH,” he said.
Iran said a potential nuclear deal was conditional on the US ending its “disrespectful tone” toward the Supreme Leader.
“If President Trump is genuine about wanting a deal, he should put aside the disrespectful and unacceptable tone towards Iran’s Supreme Leader, Grand Ayatollah Khamenei, and stop hurting his millions of heartfelt followers,” Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said in a post on X in the early hours of Saturday.
Trump also said that in recent days he had been working on the possible removal of sanctions on Iran to give it a chance for a speedy recovery. He said he had now abandoned that effort.
“I get hit with a statement of anger, hatred, and disgust, and immediately dropped all work on sanction relief, and more,” he said.
Trump said at a White House news conference that he did not rule out attacking Iran again, when asked about the possibility of new bombing of Iranian nuclear sites if deemed necessary at some point.
“Sure, without question, absolutely,” he said.
Trump said he would like inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency – the U.N. nuclear watchdog – or another respected source to be able to inspect Iran’s nuclear sites after they were bombed last weekend.
Trump has rejected any suggestion that damage to the sites was not as profound as he has said.
The IAEA chief, Rafael Grossi, said on Wednesday that ensuring the resumption of IAEA inspections was his top priority as none had taken place since Israel began bombing on June 13.
However, Iran’s parliament approved moves on Wednesday to suspend such inspections. Araqchi indicated on Friday that Tehran may reject any request by the head of the agency for visits to Iranian nuclear sites.
Trump said Iran still wants to meet about the way forward. The White House had said on Thursday that no meeting between the U.S. and an Iranian delegation has been scheduled thus far.
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