Catherine Callaghan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)

Like every Member, I am horrified at what is currently unfolding, and has been for months, before our eyes in Gaza. On Sunday, there was a little hope with the Israeli statement, which stated it would allow some aid to cross the border into Gaza. However, with this morning's news from the UN that no aid has reached any civilian in Gaza yet, I just could not sleep last night thinking of the little children, like my own little children, who are in danger of dying from hunger in 2025, in a world where there is an abundance of food, simply because of the brutality of the actions of Israel. As the Tánaiste said, what is happening in Israel goes against our humanity. It goes against the strongly held values of the people of Ireland. It goes against all of our desire for peace, stability and security.

As a mother and a human being, this is heartbreaking. This is wrong. I know the Government has consistently called for a cessation of violence, the release of hostages and the supply of aid, and is working towards a two-state solution, but we need to see more action. We need our friends in Europe and beyond to stand with us, to call out what is wrong and to demand that Israel stops what it is doing, and the horror it is inflicting on the people of Gaza, who are experiencing unimaginable suffering at the hands of Israel. They are innocent Palestinian men, women and children. I am heartened by yesterday's announcement that the EU will conduct a review of the EU association agreement with Israel after the majority of member states supported a proposal to do so at yesterday's meeting of EU foreign ministers. There is no doubt this is a significant and important decision that reflects the grave concerns shared by member states regarding the ongoing military operations by Israel and the blockade of humanitarian aid entering Gaza. It is important to see the EU agree on the need to send a strong signal to Israel to reverse course, to halt its military operations and to lift the blockade on life-saving aid.

Children are in grave danger of dying of hunger. I cannot believe I am using those words in real time in the Chamber, and that I am not speaking about some historical horror. This is happening now, in real time, in your world, my world and our world. As parliamentarians, we have a duty to act. I cannot stress this more strongly: we need an immediate cessation of hostilities. We need the release of all remaining hostages. We need to see a surge in vital humanitarian aid into and throughout Gaza.

I am here to represent the many constituents of Carlow-Kilkenny who have urged me time and time again, in countless numbers of phone calls, text messages and emails, to urge the Government to take action, to stay strong and to keep pushing for what we all know is right, which is a cessation of violence in Gaza, the return of hostages, the immediate supply of humanitarian aid to the citizens of Gaza and the enactment of the occupied territories Bill. I welcome the news that the Tánaiste is bringing a memo to the Cabinet on that Bill next week. Ireland and Spain called for the review of the Israeli association agreement in February 2024 but did not get the support they needed at that time. I commend the Government on continuing to be consistent in its calls for the cessation of violence, the release of hostages and the supply of vital humanitarian aid, and its desire for dialogue in reaching a two-state solution.

We now need the European Commission to act with speed on the position of a clear majority of members. We need to see a timeline for action. We need that to happen quickly. We do not have time. The innocent women and children of Gaza do not have time, as there is clearly an urgency to this, considering the worsening situation on the ground in Gaza. The situation on the ground has become immeasurably worse, with catastrophic consequences for the civilian population and a clear and present danger of famine. We continue to witness appalling scenes in Gaza but we can take action. We now have two avenues for progress that I would like to see progressed. These are to take action in Ireland to pass the occupied territories Bill and, as a result of the decision on Tuesday, we now have an ability at EU level for speedy action. We need to see action. I believe that we are stronger together and that action at EU level will be far more impactful than anything we can do on our own domestically.

We need to strengthen our action. I thank the Government and the Tánaiste for his being so consistent in his messaging, in his calls for a cessation of violence in Gaza, for the release of hostages, for the free flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza and the need to work together towards a two-state solution. Underpinning all of the above, we need to stay consistent and strong, we need to keep pushing and we need to keep calling out Israel. We need action now.

I cannot finish my statement without mentioning our serving personnel in Lebanon, which is obviously very close to Gaza. As a former peacekeeper who spent some time in Israel, I remain concerned about the fragile security situation in southern Lebanon and our serving men and women of the Defence Forces, including the ongoing Hezbollah planning and the continuing Israeli strikes and overflights into Lebanon and Beirut. I urge all sides to meet their commitments under the ceasefire agreement. I commend the Lebanese Government on its efforts to deploy the Lebanese armed forces in the south to achieve a monopoly of force throughout the country. Israel's suggestion that it will continue to occupy parts of Lebanon - let me be very clear on this - is a breach of international law. Communities on both sides of the blue line must be allowed to return to their homes in safety. We also need to see a massive surge of humanitarian aid and assistance into southern Lebanon. I encourage the steps that are being taken by Prime Minister Salam's government to reform Lebanon's economy and towards Lebanon's reconstruction. I would like to see Ireland and the EU remaining committed to supporting this work.

See this speech in context