Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 and 2 together.

I recently attended the Paris international humanitarian conference on Gaza convened by President Macron. The conference brought together leaders from the EU and leaders from the wider Middle East region, along with high-level representatives of UN agencies and NGOs active on the ground in Gaza, to consider the humanitarian crisis and how best to ensure that civilians can access the urgent aid they so desperately need.

The picture painted by those representing organisations working on the ground in Gaza - including the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, UNRWA, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, OCHA; the International Committee of the Red Cross, the World Health Organization and Médecins sans Frontières - was, quite frankly, very grim and disturbing. They are working in extremely difficult circumstances and often at great risk to their personnel. UNRWA alone has seen just under 100 of its employees killed and many of its clinics and schools, including those sheltering civilians, damaged and destroyed by the Israel Defense Forces. It is, however, committed to staying there to help the civilian population as best it can.

As the House is aware, large numbers of civilians are being displaced and are now living without access to adequate shelter, medicine, fuel, food or water. The World Health Organization has reported that sanitation is a serious problem and likely to contribute to the significant spread of disease and deaths in the period ahead unless the situation is urgently dealt with. While it has been possible to bring some limited supplies into Gaza via the Rafah crossing at the border with Egypt, it is nowhere near what is required. Many at the conference observed that the capacity of the crossing at Rafah is limited and is not capable of being scaled up to meet what is required, even if security could be guaranteed. Other approaches are being considered, including a maritime corridor into the south of Gaza and an appeal to open further crossings, particularly those with Israel.

Most at the conference insisted that the most urgent consideration is to ensure the application of international humanitarian law, including the protection of civilians, and to secure a ceasefire sufficient to allow humanitarian aid to be provided safely.

Many, including the Prime Minister of the Palestinian Authority, Mohammad Shtayyeh, spoke of the deteriorating situation in the West Bank, where 180 people have been killed since 7 October. The risk of escalation to the wider region is of serious concern.

In my intervention, I paid tribute to those working to help the people of Gaza in these especially difficult circumstances. I called for full observation of international humanitarian law by Israel and all other parties to the conflict. Palestinian lives and Israeli lives are of equal value. I also called for a significant ceasefire to enable aid into Gaza and to allow foreign citizens and dual nationals to leave if they wish to do so. I have also called for the immediate and unconditional release of hostages by Hamas, particularly the children. Drawing on our national experience, I stressed the imperative of a renewed political process as the only way to bring about a just and lasting peace, with a two-state solution. Ireland will support any initiative that can bring people away from the guns and back to the table.

At the conference, I had meetings in the margins with the Prime Minister of Palestine, Mohammad Shtayyeh, who thanked me for Ireland's interest in and support for Palestine, the foreign minister of Egypt, Sameh Shoukry, who offered his assistance in securing the safe exit of Irish passport holders trapped in Gaza, and Prince Rashid of Jordan, who also recognised Ireland's role and offered to be of any assistance he could to Irish citizens.

I spoke to the Commissioner-General of UNRWA, Philippe Lazzarini, the secretary general of the International Committee of the Red Cross, Mirjana Egger, and the executive director of the World Health Organization's emergencies programme, Dr. Mike Ryan.

As I have previously informed the House, I also discussed the situation in the Middle East with my colleagues on the European Council in a meeting by video conference on 17 October and at the European Council proper on 26 and 27 October. I also discussed the matter at a meeting of prime ministers in Copenhagen last night.

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