An under-14s team from Gaza's Al-Helal club will tour Ireland next August, as part of an initiative backed by former Ireland manager Brian Kerr and ex-Munster and Leinster second row Trevor Hogan.
The team will play matches in Dublin, Tipperary, Limerick and Antrim. The trip, 'Gaza Kids to Ireland', has been organised by the Gaza Action Ireland (GAI) and 'Antrim to Gaza' groups.
The youngsters will have to cross the Sinai desert in order to be able to undertake the final leg of the journey to Ireland. The team's clubhouse was damaged by Israeli action in 2012 and again during the conflict earlier this year, which has significantly reduced the number of safe places to play football in the Gaza Strip.
The initiative still requires thousands of Euro in funding. The fundraising drive was launched yesterday by Kerr and Hogan, who is now heavily involved with GAI.
