Tens of Irish Senators and Teachta Dala's (TDs) signed a letter to FIFA and UEFA to expel the Israeli occupation from participating in European and international competition over the ongoing genocide in Gaza.

Since launching its war on the Strip last October, "Israel" has killed over 38,800 Palestinians in Gaza, most of whom are women and children. More than 72,100 people were also injured in the ongoing bombardment with the aggression passing its 5-month mark.

Read more: Ireland stands up for Gaza: Palestine has every right to resist

Dublin TD Duncan Smith, alongside 67 other officials, submitted the letter to the top football bodies.

"Given the scale of what's happening to the people of Gaza, and the lack of progress that's been made towards a ceasefire, an awful lot of TD's and Senators are looking for other ways to bring pressure upon Israel to bring an end to their genocide of the people of Gaza," he said.

Read more: 'Europeans will never forget': Irish MEP's tearful speech on Gaza

"One of those ways we feel would be for the likes of FIFA and UEFA to bring sanctions in on the Israeli football team. My instinct would be not to mix sport and politics, but in this instance, given the scale of what's happening and the scale of the suffering we feel this is an appropriate call and an appropriate ask," he continued.

Football has huge political and cultural power

Smith said that football is a "global game and it has huge political and cultural power, and this is where we need to see some pressure brought on Israel."

With the failure of global powers and the United Nations to put an end to the Israeli genocide, "we need to see what other levers can be pulled here and I think sport, unfortunately, has found itself with a role to play," the Irish official said

"The genocide must stop, and we must protect the people of Gaza."

Read more: EU MEP tells von der Leyen to 'shut up' over pro-Israeli tweet

For the past months, sizable and passionate gatherings and rallies were held across the world, particularly in the West, brandishing signs and voicing chants, expressing their deep-seated frustration of the ongoing genocide in Gaza, and announcing their unwavering support for the oppressed Palestinians.

Irish MEP Mick Wallace was among the most vocal European officials to demand that the EU take responsibility and pressure "Israel" into ending its genocide, accusing the bloc and the United States of supporting the occupation entity in its slaughtering of Palestinians.

MP Richard Boyd Barrett, one of the fiercest critiques of the Israeli occupation, desribed the entity earlier as a "terrorist state built on mass explosion and murder."

Additionaly, responding to EU's stance on the Israeli war, their collegue MP Chris Andrews declared earlier, "The Irish people stand with Palestine."