In response to violent attacks on Israeli football fans in Amsterdam, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered two rescue planes to the Netherlands on Friday.

The clashes erupted after a match between Ajax Amsterdam, often associated with the Jewish community, and Maccabi Tel Aviv. Videos circulated on social media show intense street confrontations, prompting riot police intervention near the city center.

An eyewitness video captured the chaos as men were seen running near Amsterdam’s central station, with some reportedly chasing and assaulting others as police sirens wailed in the background. Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof condemned the attacks, calling them “completely unacceptable,” and assured Netanyahu in a phone conversation that the suspects would face identification and prosecution. “The perpetrators will be identified and prosecuted,” he said.

Dutch authorities reported detaining 57 individuals, as pro-Palestinian demonstrators attempted to reach the stadium despite a citywide protest ban.

Israeli officials have voiced alarm over the attacks, describing them as among the worst anti-Semitic incidents seen since the recent Gaza conflict. Israeli President Isaac Herzog condemned the violence, drawing parallels to historical pogroms and recalling the 2023 Hamas attack on Israel. “We see with horror this morning, the shocking images and videos that since October 7th, we had hoped never to see again,” Herzog shared on X.

Israel’s military announced a rescue mission coordinated with Dutch authorities, mobilising medical and rescue teams via cargo aircraft. Heightened tensions have surged globally since the October 2023 Hamas assault on Israel, resulting in over 1,200 Israeli fatalities. Israel’s subsequent military offensive in Gaza has led to tens of thousands of Palestinian casualties, fueling protests and escalating unrest across Europe and the United States.

In the Netherlands, anti-Muslim politician Geert Wilders joined others in denouncing the Amsterdam violence, expressing “shame” that such incidents could occur within Dutch borders. Meanwhile, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar urged Dutch authorities to assist Israeli citizens in reaching Amsterdam’s airport safely amid heightened fears of violence.

Melissa Enoch