TEL AVIV, Israel (AFP) — Israel captain Dor Peretz said “it’s very difficult” to focus on football with his country at war.

Peretz was speaking on the eve of Israel’s Nations League “home” tie with France in Budapest.

“You can’t imagine how difficult the situation is, when our soldiers are defending our country, when there are still hostages,” the 29-year-old midfielder said.

“It’s difficult but 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.”

“We are proud to be here and to represent Israel.”

“There are things more important than the game but we are going to do our best for our country.”

Israel manager Ran Ben Shimon, appearing at the same press conference, commented: “We are above all citizens of our country, everything that happens to it touches us to our very core. But we have to find a balance... our role is to focus on the game.”

Israel invaded Gaza after last year’s 7 October attack by Hamas militants that resulted in the deaths of 1,206 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli official figures, which include hostages killed in captivity.

Israel’s retaliatory offensive has killed at least 42,010 people in Gaza, according to figures from the Hamas-run territory’s health ministry that the United Nations has described as reliable.

Israel has also intensified air strikes on Hezbollah strongholds in Lebanon, leaving more than 1,190 people dead and forcing more than a million to flee, according to an AFP tally of official figures.