Ms Finola Finnan:

I thank the committee for the opportunity to speak about the situation in the Gaza Strip. As a sector, we are horrified and outraged by the continued escalation of violence across Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory and condemn the indiscriminate attacks, hostage taking and the killing of innocent civilians that have taken place during and since the Hamas incursion on 7 October. As I speak, the population of 2.2 million of Gaza has been under intensive military assault for more than a month. More than 11,000 Palestinians, of whom two thirds were women and children, have already been killed by the Israeli bombardment and the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip is catastrophic. Unicef stated that Gaza has become a graveyard for thousands of children. It is a living hell for everyone else. The entire population of Gaza is traumatised by the relentless assaults by land, sea and air and the withholding of essential items. People are struggling daily to find clean water and food as well shelter, hygiene, health and safety. In Gaza, 150 women give birth each day in appalling circumstances. The two crossings to Israel remain closed and the Rafah crossing to Egypt is partially open. The trickle of humanitarian assistance entering from Egypt meets only a fractions of people's needs. The closure of the strip amounts to collective punishment on an unprecedented scale on an already vulnerable and impoverished civilian population.

We are deeply concerned by the escalation of violence and displacement in the West Bank. Since 7 October, 201 Palestinians, including 52 children, have been killed by Israeli forces and an additional eight Palestinians, including one child, have been killed by Israeli settlers in the West Bank, including east Jerusalem. Four Israelis have been killed in attacks by Palestinians.

The situation is dire, yet unhindered humanitarian access to meet even the most basic immediate needs cannot be secured at the necessary speed and scale in the absence of respect for the now near-universal calls for a ceasefire. Our partners are struggling to provide much needed services, as they too are caught up in displacement, loss of life and trauma. We remember each of them and their families today. I especially remember Viola, a vibrant, young Palestinian lab technician with Caritas Jerusalem in Gaza who lost her life along with her husband, her baby daughter and other family members in an Israeli bombardment while they were sheltering in St. Porphyrius church in Gaza. I also remember and honour Vivian Silver, a former Israeli board member of Trócaire's Israeli partner B'Tselem and a co-founder of Women Wage Peace, who was killed by Hamas on 7 October.

I commend the leadership of Ireland on being one of the first countries in the world to call for a ceasefire and on condemning violations of international law. The recent commitment by Ireland of €3 million to the International Criminal Court is an important step in ensuring accountability and justice for victims. Ireland should also ensure the EU and other European countries support the ICC's investigation and that respect for international law is applied equally in all countries. In light of the ongoing humanitarian catastrophe and violations of international humanitarian law, it is shocking to see the failure of the EU, the US and the UN Security Council to agree on calls for an urgent ceasefire. I call on Irish leaders to use all available influence to urge other leaders to adopt this position.

Every day of delay will result in lives lost in Gaza. That is unjustifiable. Peace cannot be secured if the State of Israel continues to deny the Palestinian people's right to self-determination through by means of its illegal occupation of Palestinian territory, a blockade of the Gaza Strip and the maintenance of a system of oppression and discrimination against all Palestinians.

We in the sector, including Trócaire and other Dóchas members, call for an immediate end to hostilities and violations of international and human rights, the safe passage of humanitarian personnel and relief items to Gaza, the agreement of a sustained ceasefire, the immediate release and return of hostages and persons arbitrarily detained, and the holding to account of all those deemed to have committed war crimes under international law.