Cormac Devlin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)

I welcome the opportunity to raise the ongoing situation in Gaza and the West Bank. Gaza is enduring a man-made humanitarian catastrophe. Civilians, children, health workers and journalists have been killed in unconscionable numbers. Hospitals and UN facilities have been struck. Food, water and medicine have been used as levers of war. Starvation and disease are not collateral, they are the predictable outcomes of blocking aid and destroying life-supporting infrastructure. That must end.

The targeting of civilians, civilian infrastructure and attacks on journalists and healthcare workers must be absolutely condemned. A free press is not a luxury; it is a shield for the innocent and a witness for the truth. The killing and maiming of reporters in the line of duty is an assault on international humanitarian law and on accountability itself. Recent investigations underline why transparency, access and independent inquiry are essential.

I am sure we all welcome early indications of a long-overdue ceasefire and the diplomatic energy behind it. Any cessation of hostilities must immediately unlock safe, sustained and reliable humanitarian access at scale, the release of all hostages and a massive surge in reconstruction. It will be a long road - it will take a generation to fully rebuild Gaza’s homes, schools, hospitals and basic services. The scars from this war will last much longer.

Ireland should remain at the forefront, funding lifesaving aid, backing UN agencies and supporting medical evacuations, while pressing all parties to comply fully with international humanitarian and human rights law.

We must also look to the West Bank where the continued expansion of illegal settlements, displacement and movement restrictions are eroding the viability of peace. The internationally agreed destination remains two states living side-by-side in peace and security, a consensus rooted in the Oslo accords of the 1990s and as explicitly affirmed by the UN Security Council in Resolution 1397 in 2002. That vision is being pushed further from reach daily by facts on the ground. Ireland should keep championing accountability by supporting the ICJ, the ICC processes, advancing proportionate trade measures consistent with international law and standing up for the simple principle that no one is above the law.

Finally, I want to address the Global Sumud flotilla. The safety and welfare of those on board, including two Members of the Oireachtas and constituents of mine, must be paramount. All actors must respect international law and avoid any unlawful or violent act. Our message is simple: let aid flow, protect civilians and humanitarians, de-escalate, and return to politics. There is no need for a military element.

Only a lawful, negotiated two-state settlement can deliver dignity, security and peace for Israelis and Palestinians alike. Let us use Ireland’s voice to push for a ceasefire, the release of hostages and a durable, lasting peace.

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