Algeria also offered to host all the home matches of the Palestine national team. / Photo: AFP

The Algerian Football Federation (FAF) has announced that it has suspended all matches "until further notice" in support of the Palestinians.

"Expressing solidarity with the resilient, brotherly Palestinian people and out of respect for the memories of the venerable and glorious martyrs who fell victim to the savage aggressions in the Gaza Strip against the occupied Palestinian population, the FAF has decided to suspend all competitions and matches until further notice," the federation said in a statement on Wednesday.

The decision followed a rocket strike on a hospital courtyard in Gaza which Hamas group says killed hundreds of people. Hamas has blamed Israel for the strike.

Traditionally a staunch supporter of the Palestinian cause, Algeria announced on Sunday that it was willing to host "all the official and non-official matches of the Palestinian national football team as part of the preparations for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers and the 2027 Asian Cup and cover all the expenses related to these events."

As a result, the World Cup qualifier between the Palestinian team and Australia on November 21 will take place on Algerian soil.

AFP