The organisers of the Eurovision Song Contest have delayed a vote on whether Israel should be excluded from next year’s extravaganza, following the ceasefire in Gaza.

A ceasefire between Israel and Hamas came into effect on Friday (10 October) and all the 20 remaining living Israeli hostages were freed on Monday (13 October), in exchange for about 1,700 Palestinian prisoners being in Israeli jails.

In a statement, reported by the BBC , contestant organisers, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) said: “In the light of recent developments in the Middle East, the EBU’s executive board agreed there was a clear need to organise an open and in-person discussion among its members on the issue of participation in the Eurovision Song Contest 2026.

“Consequently, the board agreed to put the issu

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