Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Many of the issues I had intended to raise have been dealt with. I welcome the ceasefire, which must be a huge relief for the ambassador, for everyone in Israel, and particularly for those living in appalling conditions in Gaza. As the ambassador said, the ceasefire is only the first step. The real imperative now is to develop some kind of international initiative to ensure there are peace talks that bring about some kind of sustainable solution. I am sure the ambassador will agree that one had to despair when an inexplicably provocative extension of settlements, across 1,000 acres of land, was announced this week. I think the timing of the announcement was entirely provocative.

I was going to ask about the welfare of citizens in Gaza, but many people have already done so. Gaza was not a pretty place before the war. I am sure it is absolutely intolerable now from the perspective of food, water, medicine and shelter, etc. If there is anything the committee can do, I would support it. As the ambassador mentioned, it has been suggested that some of the injured could be sent to Ireland for treatment. I would like to help if there is anything I can do in that regard.

I want to ask about the massacre of those who collaborated with the Israelis in Gaza. This pretty savage act appalled the international community. Similarly, the capture of the Israeli teenagers, regardless of who did it, was an appalling act. It may seem like a small thing compared to the death of 2,000 Palestinians - including 600 children, appallingly - but it needs to be emphasised that such a savage and calculated act offends against all the norms of civilised behaviour. I was glad to hear the ambassador say that those killings have been condemned, certainly by the Palestinian Authority and I think by Hamas as well. Will the perpetrators be brought to justice? Will they be allowed to do that kind of thing with impunity? I am placing an emphasis on this incident even though the number of deaths might seem small by comparison with the number of deaths of Palestinians in the war itself.

Such killings damage the Palestinian cause. They are so savage and calculated that they make it very hard for those of us who would support the Palestinian cause to fight the Palestinians' corner. Is there an understanding that this type of behaviour is unacceptable?