Lisa Chambers (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State. I will echo much of what was said by my colleague, Deputy Haughey. I listened to the Tánaiste speaking on "Morning Ireland" and "Ireland AM". He was asked about what is happening in the Middle East, which he recently visited. He made the very good point that there is a tendency to move on quickly from what happened on Saturday to talk about the current situation in Palestine and the Israeli retaliation, which can only be described as trying to seek vengeance. It is important to point out, though, that what happened on Saturday was appalling. I refer to the level of cruelty and barbarism, the indiscriminate murder and gunning down of innocent civilians and the killing of infants in front of their parents. It is unimaginable how any human being could do that to another with that level of cruelty. The footage we have seen gives us an almost eyewitness account of what happened. It is something that can never be unseen. It is absolutely horrific.

The death toll there is rising, but I think it was over 1,200 people as of this morning. God help them, because it is an awful situation. It has been described as Israel's 9-11. It is important that a distinction is drawn between Hamas and the Palestinian people. They are not one and the same. The Palestinian people have no choice in terms of who they elect, if we can even put it that way. I reiterate that the Palestinian people and Hamas are distinct. Hamas is a criminal, terrorist organisation that has perpetrated war crimes on the Israeli people and this can never be forgotten.

That is why the Minister of State says Israel has a right to defend itself. Of course it does, but that is in the context of the Geneva Convention and international law and must be proportionate. What is happening to the Gazan people needs to be dealt with at a humanitarian level and with an international response that is measured. To open humanitarian corridors to get to people in Gaza, to look for a de-escalation and a ceasefire and to try to have peace talks is the Irish position and the Government position, and that has always been our position. We want a two-state solution. Hamas's stated position, however, is to wipe Israel off the face of the planet. That is its sole goal. It is very difficult to see currently how a negotiation can take place between the Israeli Government and Hamas, given that one clearly has no intention of talking to the other. One could argue that the current Government of Israel has no intention of peace talks either, which is a very difficult place to be as well. It is important, from an Irish perspective, that we play a key role at a European level to ensure that aid gets into Palestine and that we do everything we can, working not just with the EU and the US, which are clear stakeholders in this, but also with the key players in the Middle East: Egypt, Jordan and the surrounding countries. They are crucial to brokering a deal. We have, I think, a good base from a European Union level to try to broker peace and to look for a ceasefire. The idea that we would cut off aid was maybe a rush of blood to the head in the aftermath of what happened at the weekend. Calm and sense have prevailed, and we can go to a different space.

I would welcome the Minister of State's comments on the aftermath of almost a divided Union in respect of that issue and where we move after this and then, from an Irish Government perspective, how we ensure we get aid to the Palestinian people and into Gaza. Are we having any conversations with Egypt or other actors in the Middle East through our European Union channels? I know the Minister for Foreign Affairs is joining a Zoom call today with other ministers to discuss matters. I would welcome the Minister of State's comments on that.