Maurice Quinlivan (Limerick City, Sinn Fein)

I extend my solidarity to the Palestinian people. Israel has imposed a blockade across the occupied Palestinian territories, using the most brutal military tactics, and murdered tens of thousands of people. This is particularly true in Gaza where, over the past 19 months, there has been a systematic campaign of murder, forced displacement, attacks on health centres, the arbitrary detention of thousands of people, which has been a near-daily occurrence, and many actions that clearly constitute a genocide. Since the attack on 7 October 2023 by Hamas and others, the response from Israel has been brutal, uncompromising and criminal. Thousands of people, particularly women and children, have been killed by Israel. These attacks have targeted hospitals, schools, universities and displacement camps, and seen the forced displacement of millions of people.

A number of politicians in Israel have been clear about their goal: the removal of Palestinian people from the land of Gaza. Israel, with the staunch backing of the United States, has been allowed to act with impunity. Israel faces no consequences and pays no penalty for the terror it has imposed on the people of Gaza. European leaders have been enablers of Israel as it has massacred men, women and children. Many of these scenes have been broadcast on our screens in the past 19 months, and Irish people are truly horrified at what they are watching.

The State of Israel seems immune to the criticism of the international community. Why would it not be? Condemnation without action can be and is being dismissed and ignored. The lack of sanctions allows Israel to continue to trade and gather resources for its campaign of genocide against the people of Gaza. No humanitarian aid has been allowed into Gaza in the past 80 days. We learned today that none of the tiny trickle of aid that has been allowed in recently has been distributed. Humanitarian trucks full of food and medicine are blocked and people are literally starving a few miles away. That is a genocide. Mr. Michael D. Higgins, Uachtarán na hÉireann, said on Saturday in Limerick at the Famine memorial day event that, during our Gorta Mór, food was leaving Limerick at the same time as people were starving, and that we are seeing similar scenes in Gaza. The UN and others have highlighted the widespread malnutrition in Gaza. Global hunger monitors have warned that 500,000 people face starvation and hunger. We in Sinn Féin urge the Government to use all diplomatic, legislative and political options to press for the end of military action and the achievement of a lasting ceasefire.

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