Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the opportunity to address the situation in Gaza, which remains an issue of profound concern and horror for the Government, this House and the people of Ireland. It is now over 12 months since this House adopted a motion in the aftermath of the attacks perpetrated by Hamas and other terrorist groups against Israel on 7 October 2023. At that time, we unreservedly condemned these brutal attacks, which indiscriminately and systematically targeted civilians, resulting in over 1,200 deaths. We called for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages. The Dáil called for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire and for immediate and unimpeded humanitarian access to meet the urgent needs of all civilians in Gaza. We underlined that Israel must act within international law, stressing the universal applicability of international law, including international humanitarian law. These priorities have been, and remain, central to the Government’s approach. Our leadership and work with like-minded partners placed these issues at the centre of the EU and UN agenda.

In the 12 months since, the horror and despair have deepened. An agreement on a ceasefire and hostage release deal has not been achieved. There have been over 43,000 more deaths in Gaza alone, where the level of destruction and human suffering is truly horrific and completely unacceptable. Israel’s war on Gaza is beyond any moral compass. We are witnessing the collective punishment of an entire population and the destruction of the entirety of Gaza. In northern Gaza, terrible atrocities are being committed, with the forced removal of the population from that part of Gaza.

I repeat, an immediate ceasefire, the release of all hostages and a surge of humanitarian assistance into Gaza must remain the urgent focus of the international community. While our discussions today are focused on Gaza, we continue to face the risk of even wider regional escalation, which would have devastating consequences for the innocent people of the region as a whole. This is a trajectory that is deeply troubling and must be reversed. Given the gravity of the issue under discussion today, I want to be clear that the Government will continue to pursue policies and initiatives that have a real and meaningful impact on the realities faced by the Palestinian people and take full account of the overall political and legal landscape. Effective leadership on foreign policy issues means bringing others with us and ensuring that our actions have a relevance beyond the domestic sphere. I stand over the Government record in this regard. Our principled position of tireless advocacy and considered actions are appreciated by Palestine and our like-minded partners in Europe and the region. I suggest the Deputy ask Palestinians or the Palestinian Authority their perception of Ireland's stance or even ask the Arab world more generally about the Irish Government's stance. It is a very unequivocal, positive one and they wish that others would do more.

See this speech in context