Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

The problem is the pressure that is being applied is not only ineffectual, but is actually lessening the amount of food going in. The Tánaiste said himself that aid has halved since the International Court of Justice made a ruling. There is no obvious sign of any relenting on the part of the Israeli authorities in terms of the pressure they are keeping. As the Tánaiste also rightly said, they have destroyed any protection that was there to have law and order within Gaza. It is an extraordinarily difficult situation for anybody delivering aid. The international community has to take on that role. Does the Tánaiste not agree? What can we do to marshal that support now to ensure we are not looking back in horror at unimaginable numbers of deaths and wringing our hands that we did not act sooner?

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