Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE) | Oireachtas source

Twelve years ago I visited the Jabalia refugee camp in Gaza. I was struck by how packed it was with more than 100,000 people living in closely cramped quarters in less than 1.4 sq. km. Many streets are so small that you cannot even fit a coffin down them. Today, much of Jabalia, a refugee camp, lies in ruins because Israel targeted it for bombardment.

I visited a hospital in Gaza. Even then, back in 2011, they were running out of surgical gloves and basic medicines because of Israel's blockade. Today, they are being forced to operate on hospital floors without anaesthetic and are on the verge of running out of fuel. That will mean the electricity going off and death for people in ICU and for babies in incubators.

I met a 12-year old girl who had not seen her father since she was four months old. He was one of about 6,000 political prisoners being held by Israel, many without charge or trial and hundreds of them children. There are now thousands and thousands of children in Gaza who will never see their parents again. More than 4,000 children have been killed. Israel is committing war crimes, with the support of the US Government and much of the EU. They are bombing hospitals and ambulances. They are bombing residential areas with the biggest bombs designed to inflict maximum damage. They are bombing convoys of refugees they ordered to flee south for safety. They are laying siege to 2.3 million people, trying to starve them out by blockading food and water. They are bombing fishing boats to stop people from getting around the siege and feeding themselves. They are committing the crime of genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes - Articles 6, 7 and 8 of the Rome Statute. They are committing these crimes openly and brazenly, repeatedly declaring their intention to do so in the world's media.

Yesterday the Taoiseach said "it may well be the case that war crimes have been committed. That is where the International Criminal Court, ICC, comes in but there has to be a proper investigation." Will the Irish Government make a referral to the International Criminal Court under Article 14 of the Rome Statute so there can be such an investigation?

Israel is facing growing isolation internationally. Bolivia has cut all diplomatic ties with Israel. Chile and Colombia have recalled their ambassadors. They were joined yesterday by South Africa and Chad. If Ireland took that step as a European country, if we expelled the Israeli ambassador, it would have an impact globally. It would send a clear signal that when Ursula von der Leyen gave the green light to Israel's genocidal assault on Gaza, she was not speaking for all Europeans. It would further isolate and put pressure on Israel to stop.

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