Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Israel's merciless military attack on the people of Gaza continues. The attack has killed more than 11,000 Palestinians, including more than 4,500 children and more than 3,000 women. A child is killed every ten minutes in full sight of the world. Gaza is a graveyard of innocent children. Israel's bombardment has destroyed Gaza's health infrastructure. Hospitals are running out of fuel and the electricity needed to power vital equipment. Maternity care and cancer care, all care, is decimated. As the wounded and dying pour in, hospitals try to keep going to the sound of gunfire, tank fire and air raids. Doctors on the ground have reported Israeli snipers targeting hospital staff and shooting people as they flee.

At Gaza's Al-Shifa hospital, doctors were forced to carry out surgeries, including c-sections and emergency amputations without anaesthetics, antibiotics or clean water. They have run out of the medicine required to treat children with the most horrific burns. People have bled to death because the hospital could not access fresh blood. Newborn babies died because incubators stopped working. Thousands of displaced Palestinians live on the corridors, the stench of decomposing bodies everywhere hanging in the air as testament to the horror inflicted on the people of Gaza. This is the hospital that Israel relentlessly besieged for days and then stormed last night. This is not defence. The Irish Government must refer Israel to the International Criminal Court. Israel must be held accountable. There must be immediate ceasefires. This is the only thing that will transform this horrific situation.

I am heartened by the news that Irish citizens are leaving Gaza via the Rafah crossing. I say also, that the hostages must be freed immediately. Yesterday, I met Tom, the father, and Natalie, the sister, of little Emily Hand. Their agony and trauma is unbearable. Emily will turn nine on Friday and she should be back with her family for her birthday.

Léiríonn an t-ionsaí ar ospidéal Al-Shifa arís go gcaithfidh Éire Iosrael a chur faoi bhráid an Chúirt Choiriúil Idirnáisiúnta. Tá an domhan ag rá "Stad" agus tá gá le sos cogaidh láithreach. The Taoiseach has rightly described Israel's actions as collective punishment and not self defence. He has also said that Israel's actions cannot be without consequence. I welcome that. However, he has not outlined what those consequences will be. Refusing to refer Israel to the International Criminal Court is a cop out and a dangerous one at that. It emboldens Israel in its violation of international law and its trampling on the human rights of Palestinians. Condemnation is not enough. The message has to be that Ireland will act when international humanitarian law is shredded and when a civilian, refugee population is slaughtered en masseby one of the most ferocious military forces on earth. I ask the Taoiseach to act. What consequences will Israel face for the atrocities it commits before the eyes of the world?

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