BUDAPEST, Oct 10, V7N-Israel captain Dor Peretz has expressed the challenges of focusing on football amidst the ongoing conflict in his country. Speaking on the eve of Israel's Nations League match against France in Budapest, he highlighted the difficulty of the situation, saying, "You can't imagine how difficult it is when our soldiers are defending our country, when there are still hostages."

Peretz emphasized the privilege of playing football during such challenging times, stating, "We know it's a privilege to play football, which is our job, at a time when our country is at war, to provide hope and happiness to our country." He added, "There are things more important than the game, but we are going to do our best for our country."

Israel manager Ran Ben Shimon echoed these sentiments, noting the importance of balancing their roles as citizens and athletes while focusing on the game.

The conflict has escalated significantly since the October 7 attack by Hamas, leading to substantial casualties on both sides, including Israeli soldiers and civilians, and resulting in a large number of deaths in Gaza and Lebanon due to retaliatory actions.

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