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

I thank the Deputy. I take this opportunity to reiterate the Government's call for an immediate ceasefire in the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. This will allow the hostages to be released, the killing to stop and much-needed food and medicine to get in to the Gaza Strip, where civilians are in a very desperate and unimaginable situation. We believe that a humanitarian ceasefire for a number of weeks can lead to a permanent ceasefire and to the resumption of talks on a final status solution.

I welcome the call made by US Vice President Kamala Harris earlier in the week for a humanitarian ceasefire to be observed by Israel and Hamas. This represents a welcome shift in the position of the US. I hope we will see this further elaborated on in the days and weeks ahead.

We are working closely with our European and Arab partners to build momentum for peace efforts. We hope that the ongoing intensive talks between the US, Israel, Qatar and Egypt will lead to a ceasefire. We firmly believe that a military escalation in Rafah, where almost 1.5 million people are sheltering in desperate conditions, would be catastrophic and should not happen. I share the Deputy's horror at the killing of civilians queueing up to access aid. It is important that there be a full, independent investigation and that those responsible be held to account. The UN report on the events of 7 October published in recent days confirmed that it is plausible that Hamas engaged in sexual violence and, indeed, gang rape as part of its attack on Israel. I hope that those who have not yet condemned Hamas for its actions on 7 October will take the opportunity to do so.

On my visit to the White House, which will occur next week, I do not believe in boycotts. That has never been the approach I have taken to international affairs. The visit will present an opportunity to speak to leaders in the US on Capitol Hill and also to President Biden and Vice President Harris. Ireland is one of 200 countries in the world. Not many countries are guaranteed a meeting once a year with the US. It would be a big mistake for us to boycott that and to lose the important engagement that has occurred every year since the 1980s. However, I will use the opportunity - in private, in the Oval Office and in public in the White House - to make clear how the Irish people feel about the situation in Gaza and how we believe the US needs to adopt an approach that will help to bring about a peace settlement in the region.

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