Pro-Palestine protestor enters ground during men's Cricket World Cup final in India

NEW DELHI

A person wearing a pro-Palestine T-shirt entered the ground where India and Australia were playing the Cricket World Cup final in Ahmedabad, the capital city of the western Indian state of Gujarat, on Sunday.

Images posted by Asian News International show the pitch invader wearing a Palestinian flag mask over his face and a T-shirt with the slogans "Free Palestine" and "Stop Bombing Palestine" written on it.

He entered the pitch and approached star Indian batsman Virat Kohli, who was on the crease at the Narendra Modi Stadium, where the men's final of 50 overs was being played under the auspices of the International Cricket Council (ICC).

The security personnel soon took the invader away. The person’s identity was not revealed immediately.

Israel has killed more than 12,300 Palestinians in its air and ground attacks on the Gaza Strip since the Oct. 7 surprise offensive by Hamas. The official Israeli death toll, meanwhile, stands at about 1,200.

Thousands of buildings, including hospitals, mosques, and churches, have either been damaged or destroyed in Israel’s relentless strikes on the besieged enclave.

An Israeli blockade has also cut Gaza off from fuel, electricity, and water supplies, and reduced aid deliveries to a trickle.

Israel has rejected growing calls for a cease-fire until the release of hostages held by Hamas.