AMMAN (Dispatches) – Jordan refused to play the Zionist regime at the FIBA Under-19 Basketball World Cup in Switzerland on Sunday in protest at the Gaza war, Jordanian media reported, and the international basketball federation said the game would be forfeited in favor of the occupying regime.
The official Jordan News Agency said the local basketball federation “sent an official request to the International Federation (FIBA) not to play the match in line with its principles and steadfast positions in such circumstances.”
The Jordanian federation did not reveal any further details, but Jordanian newspaper Ad-Dustour said the decision was due to the war on Gaza.
At least 56,412 Palestinians have been killed, mostly women and children, and another 133,054 individuals injured in the brutal Israeli onslaught on Gaza since October 7, 2023.
The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants last November for Zionist prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former war minister Yoav Gallant, citing war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
The occupying regime also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the besieged coastal territory.
The Palestine Olympic Committee (POC) says Israeli troops have killed at least 13 Palestinian athletes and coaches this month.
The committee announced in a statement on Saturday that the total number of Palestinians from the sports community killed since the onset of Israel’s bloody onslaught against Gaza in early October 2023 now stands at around 615.
The POC said amongst the 13 athletes killed this month were eight football players and staff, two volleyball players, one handball player, a karate practitioner, and one Muay Thai fighter. 
The fallen football stars include Mohamed Abdel Moneim Al-Jaabari, Emad Yousef Al-Samhouri, Mohamed Mahmoud Yassin, Mostafa Mayt, Abdullah Mazen Hawila, Ayman Jumaa al-Hamas, and Youssef Ayman Al-Najjar.
The volleyball players killed were identified as Abdel Karim Al-Nanman and Ahmed Mohamed Al-Mufti; the karate athlete was Ayman Totah; the Muay Thai fighter was Ammar Hamayel; and the handball player was Mohamed Hussein Al-Nashar