Israel sends rescue team after “very violent incident” against citizens in Amsterdam

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered two rescue planes to be sent immediately to Amsterdam following a “very violent incident” against Israeli citizens, his office said on Friday, after attacks linked to a soccer match were reported.

Israel’s Ministry of National Security also urged its citizens in the Dutch city to stay in their hotel rooms after the attacks, the prime minister’s office said in a second statement.

“Fans watching a soccer match encountered anti-Semitism and were attacked with unimaginable cruelty simply because they were Jews and Israelis,” Israeli Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said in a post on X.

Local police said 57 people were detained after the game as pro-Palestinian demonstrators tried to reach the Johan Cruyff Stadium, despite the city banning them from protesting there.

Police said fans left the stadium without incident, but several clashes were reported downtown during the night.

The Israeli military said it was preparing to immediately deploy a rescue mission coordinated by the Dutch government after the soccer match in which Ajax Amsterdam, traditionally considered a Jewish club, beat Maccabi Tel Aviv 5-0.