ISTANBUL

Top European basketball club competitions agreed Tuesday on a proposal to set Dec. 1 for games to resume in Israel despite violations of a ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip.

"EuroLeague Commercial Assets (ECA) member clubs met on Tuesday to discuss the current situation in Israel and Gaza, following the recently announced ceasefire and peace initiatives. The meeting also addressed the possibility of bringing EuroLeague and BKT EuroCup games back to Israel, after matches were relocated to neutral venues since October 2023," EuroLeague said in a statement.

The Gaza ceasefire agreement has been violated many times by Israel. According to the Gaza Health Ministry, at least 80 people have been killed and 303 injured by the Israeli army in Gaza since a ceasefire took effect Oct. 10.

"After thoughtful deliberation, ECA clubs agreed on the proposal to set December 1, 2025, as the date for games to resume in Israel. Until then, Euroleague Basketball will continue to carefully monitor developments, stay in close contact with local and foreign authorities, visiting teams, and all relevant organizations," the statement said.

"Euroleague Basketball and its participating clubs welcome the recent peace plan with optimism and hope. The organization reaffirms its belief in the power of basketball to bring people and communities together, and its commitment to contributing to peace through the shared values of sport, respect, and unity," it added.

Israeli games in the EuroLeague and EuroCup have been relocated to neutral venues since October 2023 due to security reasons.

Since October 2023, the Israeli genocidal war has killed more than 68,200 victims and injured over 170,300, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.​​​​​​​