Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I have just returned in recent days from the UN high-level week in New York, where the Middle East was a central focus of my agenda. This is a timely debate as we assess the horrendous situation in Gaza and the West Bank and as we look at the implications for wider regional security. I hope that this week's announcement of a proposed peace plan is a step towards a lasting peace that is so desperately needed. Progress is being made to secure an agreement that brings an end to the violence and an end to what I believe to be a genocide in Gaza, secures the release of the hostages and ensures that vital humanitarian aid gets into Gaza. I welcome the sincere engagement of states in the region, representatives of many of which I met with in recent days, to secure a path to peace, and their willingness to work with the US, the EU and other international partners to achieve this goal. I also hope Hamas now seizes the opportunity to lay down its arms and release all the hostages.

The conflict, the genocide, has gone on for far too long and with an unconscionable human cost. When we look to Gaza, we continue to witness unspeakable scenes. Ireland's consistent position since the beginning of the conflict has been to call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages held by Hamas and immediate and unimpeded humanitarian access at scale into Gaza. The IPC has confirmed that famine is occurring in Gaza and is projected to spread further across the strip. This is a man-made famine. Hostages remain in captivity. The daily statistics are incomprehensibly appalling: the numbers who have died of starvation, the numbers killed as they desperately seek food, the number of UN workers, medics and journalists killed as they work to save lives and document the horrors of this conflict. The UN Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory has concluded that Israel has committed genocide in Gaza. That is no longer just my view or the view of this House or this country; it is now the view of a UN commission of inquiry. This is a formal conclusion of what we have been saying for some time, and Ireland takes the findings extremely seriously. More than 20,000 children have been killed in Gaza during the 23 months of this horrific situation. The devastating death toll of innocents is an affront to humanity. Tens of thousands have been injured and left permanently disabled without the medical attention and services they require. I was told by a high-ranking UN official in recent days of children having to incur amputations without anaesthetics because Israel will not let the anaesthetics into Gaza. Thousands more are missing or buried under rubble. I think of all the children killed, maimed, orphaned and abducted on 7 October. I struggle to find the words for these atrocities, these crimes against humanity.

Despite this horror, humanitarian workers and medics, UNRWA, the wider UN system and international organisations continue to do their utmost for the people of Gaza. Under extreme pressure, and despite what must feel like insurmountable obstacles, they keep going. It is also with their determination in mind that the Government continues to act to confront and end this genocide. That was my message to international partners at the UN last week, that it is time to move from words to action. We urgently need to see an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and we welcome the ongoing efforts in this regard. We need to bring an end to the violence, get the hostages out and get humanitarian aid in.

I commend the efforts to date by mediators, including the continuing efforts of the US, Egypt, Qatar and others. These negotiations are now at a crucial stage. I urge everybody - Israel, Hamas, everybody - to engage positively and flexibly to secure this urgently needed agreement. We know in this country, on this island, better than most that the way to end all horrific conflict is through a political pathway, through engagement, through a peace process. No peace process is perfect, but I know from talking to the leaders and foreign ministers of Arab nations in recent weeks the amount of work they have put into getting a plan and engaging with President Trump to try to bring forward a plan on which the world can speak with one voice and say, "Stop. End this. Here is a way forward."

While the world is rightly focused on the horrors playing out in Gaza, we cannot be distracted from the ever-worsening situation in the West Bank. The expansion of settlements, the displacement of tens of thousands and rampant settler violence continue unabated. Life for Palestinians in the West Bank is being restricted from all sides. Since October 2023, the Israeli Government has approved 49 new settlements. The decision to approve plans for settlement construction in the E1 area is unacceptable and a violation of international law. Since January of this year, at least 40,000 people have been displaced. Beyond this, the levels of settler violence are now unprecedented. One thousand attacks have been documented in 230 communities across the West Bank since the beginning of this year.

Let me be clear: these developments predate the ongoing situation and the events of the past 23 months. For years, Israel has conducted a policy of marginalisation and oppression of Palestinian people in Gaza and in the West Bank. A stark example of this oppression is the arbitrary arrest and detention by Israel of hundreds of Palestinian children. Children report being physically and emotionally abused while in prisons, many held without charge or trial. Ireland will continue to work with the international community to ensure that the violations of law and human rights in the West Bank do not go unchecked.

Against this background, I view the two-state solution not as an aspiration but as an absolute legal obligation. There can be no interests that outweigh the fundamental principles of human rights. I welcomed the decisions of the UK, Canada, Australia, France, Luxembourg, Malta, Belgium, Portugal and others to recognise the State of Palestine over recent weeks. There are now over 150 countries globally that recognise Palestinian statehood. Ireland took that decision last year as a recognition of the principle that Palestine should be able to vindicate the full rights of a state, including self-determination, self-governance, territorial integrity and security. The recent recognitions are also a response to the intolerable humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in Gaza and the need to inject fresh impetus into bringing about a just, lasting peace where Israelis and Palestinians live side by side in two states - Israel and Palestine - in peace, security and dignity. This is not insignificant. At a time when the multilateral order is perhaps the most challenged it has been in its history, progress has been made. I firmly reject the bizarre and despicable suggestion that recognising Palestine is an aggressive act or any form of reward for terrorism. It is the exact opposite. It is a confirmation of our commitment to a peaceful path, to the rule of law, to an international order where states can work together on a common footing. Criticisms from those who consistently choose unilateral actions, military force and, indeed, the engagement of genocide are not credible.

Ireland was an active participant in the UN high-level conference on the implementation of the two-state solution, which the Taoiseach attended last week. As co-chair of a working group of the conference, alongside Türkiye, Ireland was part of a core group of countries that negotiated the outcome document of the conference, known as the New York Declaration, at its meeting. That document was endorsed by 142 countries in a vote at the UN General Assembly on 12 September. Ireland is now part of a strong coalition of international partners ready to press ahead with securing and implementing the two-state solution. The meeting last week demonstrated that the vast majority of UN member states are committed to empowering a sovereign and economically viable State of Palestine, living side by side in peace and security with Israel and forging regional and international partnerships in support of the two-state solution.

Last week, I was proud to represent our country at the Global Alliance for the Implementation of the Two-State Solution, an alliance that will be the follow-up vehicle to the work of the UN conference. Given the catastrophic situation in Gaza, the immediate goal of the global alliance is an end to the war and an end to the genocide and to secure immediate humanitarian relief at scale. At the meeting in New York, I announced that Ireland will host a meeting of the global alliance in Dublin in the coming months. The meeting will be an opportunity to share some of our own experience of what a successful peace process can look like, like what we saw in Northern Ireland, with relevance to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, including creating the appropriate conditions for a ceasefire and underlining the importance of civil society.

No two conflicts are the same but we are eager in this country to share our learnings from our peace process. The Dublin meeting will also draw a clear link between the global alliance and the implementation of the New York declaration agreed at the UN high-level conference in July. This is another practical action Ireland is taking to drive the implementation of a two-state solution. Ireland has been to the forefront of member states at an EU level pressing for an appropriate response to Israel’s actions in Gaza and in the West Bank. Ireland together with Spain first called on the EU to undertake a review of Israel’s compliance with its human rights obligations under Article 2 of the EU-Israel Association Agreement in February 2024. I welcomed the finalisation of that review in June this year. It is crystal clear from the review that Israel is in breach of all human rights obligations under the agreement. This is a significant finding of fact.

Ireland has consistently called for the EU to now take concrete action in response to the egregious Israeli breaches of human rights and democratic principles. In September, we welcomed the proposals put forward by the European Commission to suspend the core trade-related provisions of the EU-Israel Association Agreement. This has the potential to be a major moment. For the very first time since this genocidal activity in Gaza began, the European Commission - not any one individual member state - has proposed suspending the trade-related provisions of the agreement. I accept it is far too late but we now have a proposal for effective sanctions on the table. In practice, this would mean that imports from Israel would be subject to significant tariffs in accessing EU markets. This is important. There is a lot of focus on whether the US is the only country that can put pressure on Israel. Politically, it might be the case that the Prime Minister of Israel will only listen to the President of the United States but economically Europe has the ability to play a part in changing the calculus in Netanyahu's actions to date. The proposal represents an extremely significant step forward. It is now time for countries to put up their hand, yay or nay, in favour of the proposals. This is an acknowledgement that the EU must act in the face of the rapidly deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza, Israel’s ongoing blockade of humanitarian aid - people are starving while trucks of food are within touching distance, if only the blockade was lifted - intensifying military operations by Israel and the decision of the Israeli authorities to continue to advance the settlement plan in the so-called E1 area of the West Bank, an effort to further undermine the two-state solution. The package also supports sanctions on extremist Israeli ministers and violent settlers as well as on Hamas. Ireland supports these proposals. In addition, the Commission announced it is putting bilateral support to Israel on hold with the exception of support to civil society and the Israeli Holocaust Memorial Institution.

In terms of next steps, the trade-related proposals need to be adopted by the Council with a qualified majority and further sanctions require a unanimous decision. The EU now has an opportunity to demonstrate to its international partners and, crucially, to its citizens, that it is ready to act in the face of the catastrophic situation in Gaza and stand up for our core principles, values and international law. Ireland is working to urge fellow member states to vote in favour of this package of measures to supports the proposals. I have also requested that the Council be convened as a matter of urgency. It seems quite unforgivable in the face of genocide and famine that there is not an emergency convening to have a vote on this. I co-authored a letter with four other member states calling for an urgent convening. We could vote on this today and should. We continue our diplomatic campaign to seek an earlier meeting of the Council to vote on this package of measures. The Irish people are united in righteous outrage at the hideous scenes in Gaza. My office receives hundreds, if not thousands, of petitions a week from citizens of this country voicing their deeply and sincerely held convictions about the atrocities taking place across Palestine. Thousands of citizens rightly protest against the horrors in Gaza on a weekly basis. Teachers write to me dumbfounded about how they can teach the Universal Declaration of Human Rights when students witness daily violations of those rights through the images we see from Gaza. Medical workers stand in solidarity with their counterparts in Gaza who are working under the most extreme and untenable situations, some of whom I have spoken with.

I am keenly aware that a number of Irish citizens including Members of the Oireachtas are participating in the Global Sumud Flotilla. The peaceful efforts of those on board reflect an understandable desire by many people around the world to urgently address the humanitarian needs of the people of Gaza as endorsed by all parties and groups in this House in our debate yesterday. Reports of attacks are extraordinarily concerning. I urge all parties to refrain from any unlawful or violent act against the flotilla and to respect international law and international humanitarian law. The welfare and safety of the people aboard has to be a priority of the international community. In accordance with the wishes of the families and friends of those on board the flotilla, who were here yesterday, I issued a statement last night, as they asked, clearly outlining that international law must be respected in relation to the flotilla and any violation of international law must have consequences. I have also been engaging with my Spanish counterpart specifically on this, the Spanish presence in the waters nearby and the fact that any Irish citizen will be treated as European citizen in the context of that flotilla, which is important.

It is that righteous outrage of our citizens and elected representatives that has driven Ireland to take domestic measures in response to the egregious situation in Gaza and the West Bank. As a commitment to the two-state solution and to upholding international law, the Government is advancing work on the commitment in the programme for Government relating to an occupied territories Bill. This is an area where Ireland has been at the forefront in taking action. In June, the Government approved the general scheme of the Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory (prohibition of importation of goods) Bill. The Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade subsequently held a number of hearings and received submissions representing a range of views and perspectives, for which I thank the committee. The committee has published its report. I acknowledge the presence of members of the committee and thank them for their diligence and dedication throughout the process. Work is well under way to analyse the report and its recommendations with a view to getting the best and most robust piece of legislation. The next steps in the process including the timeline for progress of the Bill will be considered by Government very shortly. I intend to meet Senator Black, subject to her availability, next week.

A number of other EU member states recently announced they are taking similar steps to ban the importation of goods from Israeli settlements in the West Bank including Spain, Slovenia, Belgium and the Netherlands. In many cases, we are sharing notes and information on our legislative plans. These initiatives are welcome and I hope they demonstrate the growing will of the international community to take action to try to force the current Israeli Government to change its course. Let me clear: alongside the occupied territories Bill, OTB, our preference is for robust EU-level action. If we want to make a difference, move the dial and have an impact, the proposals put forward by the European Commission need to be passed and enacted. We stand ready to take further national measures in response to the situation. I am reviewing options in this regard. This includes taking forward the work the Taoiseach outlined to the UN last week to prevent individual members of the government of Israel from entering our country in keeping with steps taken by other EU and like-minded partners.

Last month, I was pleased to welcome the arrival of a further 18 Palestinians from Gaza, all of whom are holders of long-stay visas and the majority of whom will study in our country. They are very welcome here. I am pleased they are here. Since the beginning of the crisis, my Department has supported the travel of more than 200 people from Gaza to Ireland. Further evacuations are planned. As we can imagine, this is an extraordinarily challenging area. I thank my Department, diplomats, colleagues and countries in the region for their assistance. We continue to explore options to assist individuals in Gaza. Unfortunately, travel cannot be guaranteed and depends on many factors some of which rest outside the control of the Government of Ireland. That said, I hope those new arrivals will experience the warm Irish welcome we are known for globally. I wish them every success during their time here. The Government also approved the evacuation of up to 30 sick children from Gaza last year. So far, two successful medical evacuations have taken place and planning is under way for a third. This kind of practical support - not just words but actions - will continue at the same time as our efforts to move the dial politically at a European Union and international level.

Turning to the wider region, the fates of Lebanon and Syria are intertwined with Palestinian statehood and broader steps towards mutual recognition, peaceful coexistence and co-operation among all states in the region. The international community agreed to make a renewed effort to improve Syria-Israel and Lebanon-Israel relations with the aim of achieving a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in the Middle East. Ireland’s connection and commitment to Lebanon remain strong. I had the pleasure of meeting the Foreign Minister, Mr. Rajji, during UN high-level week. We discussed the various challenges confronting Lebanon and its people but also welcomed the progress made in the past year. After too many years of external interference, Lebanon must be allowed to rebuild within secure borders. I hope to see Lebanon restore security control over all of its territory. For this, we need to see Hezbollah lay down its arms and for Israel to fully withdraw its remaining presence from Lebanon. I hope displaced communities on both sides of the border can return to their homes in security. UNIFIL has been central to our commitment to Lebanon. I am in no doubt of the valuable role that the force and the Irish contingent play. We welcome the extension of UNIFIL’s mandate until December 2026. The renewed mandate gives the government of Lebanon time to secure the south. I am still concerned about this mission ending at a time we are trying to build up the Lebanese Armed Forces.

During my visit to Lebanon earlier this year, my counterparts impressed on me the important role UNIFIL plays in supporting the Lebanese Armed Forces under UN Security Council Resolution 1701 and in implementing the ceasefire agreement. Ireland will continue to support the work of UNIFIL and it must be allowed to carry out its mandate.

Let me take this opportunity to emphasise that the deliberate targeting of UNIFIL personnel or installations by any party is a violation of international humanitarian law. Let me also state on the record of the House my ongoing efforts to secure justice for Private Rooney and those others caught up that evening in his brutal murder.

Syria has emerged from decades of civil war and a brutal regime. A stable and united Syria is essential to the stability of the region. Syria's future must be decided by its people. This transition comes during a difficult context where armed groups that emerged during civil war are still in existence. Israeli strikes on Syrian forces, attacks on communities inside Syria and expanded occupation of Syrian territory undermine efforts to rebuild. Turkish strikes on the northern border are not justified and do not help to secure a unitary state.

The Syrian people have a long road ahead and Ireland wishes to support them in rebuilding a Syria that is inclusive and respectful of all religious traditions and ethnicities and respectful of Syrian women. We continue to provide significant humanitarian aid in response to the Syrian crisis. Ireland pledged more than €22 million to the Syrian crisis in 2025 at the Brussels IX Conference in March. Ireland supports the EU’s speedy removal of most economic sanctions on Syria and will continue to encourage the new Government’s commitment to truth, justice and reconciliation.

Iran has been at the centre of much of the instability in the Middle East for many years. Its continuing support for armed non-state actors in the region, including among its immediate neighbours, and its efforts to export its revolution have not served either the country or its people. We remain concerned about the human rights situation in Iran, especially the denial of rights to Iranian women and minority groups. Iran is also contributing to war in Europe through its supply of weapons to Russia in its brutal war of aggression against Ukraine. The recent war between Israel and Iran was a very significant escalation in the regional conflict and risked dragging in countries that have not been directly involved. The attacks on nuclear sites were reckless. We remain concerned that this conflict might reignite and derail wider peace efforts.

We cannot ignore that much of the tension in the Middle East arises from Iran's nuclear programme. Ireland has been consistent, in line with long-standing policy on non-proliferation, that Iran must not be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon. Iran remains in breach of its obligations under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, JCPOA. This has led to the reimposition of UN and EU sanctions against Iran. At the UN General Assembly last week, I met with the Iranian foreign minister, Mr. Araghchi. I impressed upon him the importance of Iran engaging meaningfully with international partners, including the US and the E3, and with the International Atomic Energy Agency to reach an agreement on its use of nuclear technology. Even with the reimposition of sanctions, I urge Iran to return to the talks table to address the legitimate concerns of the international community. Further conflict would bring a very real risk of regional spillover. This would be disastrous for all the peoples of the region. We must find a way off the path of violence. I continue to urge all parties across the region to exercise restraint and engage in de-escalation, dialogue and diplomacy.

Against these complex regional realities, Ireland is taking action and pressing others to do so. Above all, we need an immediate ceasefire, the release of the hostages, a massive, unimpeded surge of humanitarian aid into Gaza and a political process towards a two-state solution. It is my hope that the announcement on Monday can help to bring this about and lay the groundwork to achieve peace in the interests of the people of both Palestine and Israel. All peace processes are imperfect but the genocide, killing and famine must stop. I welcome this debate. I look forward to continuing to work with colleagues on Ireland's contributions to peace and security in the Middle East.

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South-Central, Sinn Fein)
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As we sit in this Chamber, the Global Sumud Flotilla approaches ever closer to Gaza. We do not know what the coming hours will bring. We wait with much trepidation and concern for our fellow Irish citizens, citizens of the world and our fellow Oireachtas Members, including my colleague Senator Chris Andrews, with whom I am in contact every couple of hours. Yesterday, along with some colleagues, I met with family members and loved ones of those on the flotilla. They are anxious, no doubt about it, and justifiably very worried, but they are also full of pride and fully respectful of the wishes and objectives of those taking part in the flotilla. They understand, as do those on the flotilla, what is happening on a daily basis in Gaza while we sit here today.

What is happening in Gaza is a war on children like no other in living memory. Citing UNICEF, UNRWA has stated that in the past five months of the war, an average of 540 children have been killed every month. We see the footage on almost a daily basis. It hardly bears thinking about what those families are going through, the children left without parents and those maimed for life on a daily basis in what often seem to be deliberate attacks on children and innocent people.

The Tánaiste spoke about the famine situation we are seeing. Has there been, for generations, a famine that has taken place within reach of so much food and so much supply? I cannot think of any example. At an Oireachtas joint committee meeting last week, we heard from UNRWA representatives that during the ceasefire, 4,200 trucks entered Gaza in a week. Before the attacks and the genocide, 700 trucks arrived daily. Now, on a typical day, there are fewer than 50 or 60. We are seeing famine play out, with tens of thousands of people malnourished and at risk of starvation. Following on from that, of course, is the potential for disease, illness and all the human suffering that will follow.

A great deal of the discussion in the Oireachtas on Gaza, Palestine and the Middle East generally has focused on the occupied territories Bill. The people of Ireland, and the people of Palestine, deserve to know what the Government will do on that legislation and what will be in it. The Oireachtas joint committee was very clear in its position that there must be a ban on goods and services. The entire point of the occupied territories Bill, and what it represents, is that it is an extension of the decision of the International Court of Justice. It is about applying international law. It is about ensuring there are consequences for actions. The advisory decision drew no distinction between goods and services. People deserve to know what will be in the Bill. People right around the country are asking what the Government will do. Some actions have been taken but this one is crucial. It has been spoken about internationally and has led to other countries acting. There should be no arbitrary distinction between goods and services. The Government must show leadership by putting in place a ban without further delay. It would send a clear message that the occupied territories are illegal settlements and nobody should trade goods or services with them.

Most of my comments have focused on Gaza but I take the opportunity to welcome the condemnation of attacks on Syria by Israel. It is also important to express concern regarding attacks on minority groups in Syria, particularly the Druze and Christian communities.

I will comment briefly on the proposed deal announced by the US and Israel in recent days. Our priorities for Gaza are an end to the genocide, unrestricted access to aid, the release of the hostages and a long-term peace deal. Any peace deal that will end the wholesale slaughter of tens of thousands of people in Gaza should be welcomed and efforts to that effect must continue on the part of everyone. Of course, our hope is that a deal will bring about an immediate and permanent ceasefire, unrestricted aid to the strip and a long-term peace agreement. However, it should be noted that the details are high level and vague. The implementation details will be key. Unfortunately, past experience suggests that considerable caution is warranted. There have been numerous examples of bad faith on the part of the Israeli Government in breaking previous ceasefires. Mr. Smotrich is already attacking the plan as a whole.

It is also crucial that the pathway to Palestinian self-determination and sovereignty is not lost in this. Great strides have been made in recent months towards full and proper recognition of Palestinian statehood. Self-determination and statehood are recognised in the plan as an aspiration of the Palestinian people but no clear roadmap is provided nor is there any mention of the West Bank. Caution is warranted. We will monitor the situation regarding the flotilla with great care. If there is action against it and if any harm comes to an Irish citizen in the next few hours, the Government needs to say to the world that Israel's days of acting with impunity must end.

Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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Any plan that could end the wholesale slaughter of tens of thousands of civilians in Gaza is to be welcomed. The world has watched a genocide as children starve and aid rots just miles away. I welcome that a core part of the 20-point plan is to end the weaponisation of aid from the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation and place it in the hands of the UN and the Red Crescent.

However, for any peace deal to work, it must be constructed and agreed by all parties to the conflict. A unilateral deal is not the platform for a stable or lasting peace.

The Good Friday Agreement worked because it was a constructive process that all parties built and signed up to. At its centre was parity of esteem, new political institutions, demilitarisation and consent. It was voted on and there was a peaceful pathway forward for those who desired independence. It was not forced upon a battered population with the promise of only more death and destruction should they refuse.

Great strides have been made in recent months towards full and proper recognition of Palestinian statehood. To remove Palestinians now entirely from the peace process is a regressive step that returns Palestine to an occupied territory stripped of sovereignty and self-determination. The war criminal, Benjamin Netanyahu, has already said he will not remove troops from Gaza - that there will be no demilitarisation. He absolutely does not agree to Palestinian statehood. Statehood and self-determination is recognised in the plan as an "aspiration of the Palestinian people", but any movement is conditional on the redevelopment of Gaza and the reform of the Palestinian Authority. There is no agreement on borders. Any hope of a pre-1967 border seems to have been erased from this plan, nor is there any mention of the West Bank and East Jerusalem where settler homes are springing up by the thousands. There is no plan to address the apartheid system that leaves Palestinians second-class citizens in their own land.

My fear is that any plan that fails to address the core conflict that has existed since 1948 will only be another false dawn. If there are to be guarantors of peace, it must be an international coalition, certainly not those who supplied weapons and gave the political and military cover, which enables the occupation and the ongoing genocide that continues to kill innocent men, women, and children in Gaza and across Palestine.

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Agus muid ag labhairt anois, tá Flotilla Sumud le 40 bád ag teannadh ar chósta na Palaistíne agus treise leo. Tá mo chomhghleacaí an Seanadóir Chris Andrews san áireamh. Smaoinigh go bhfuil léigear Iosrael ar chathair Gaza ann le beagnach 20 bliain. Bhíos leis an Seanadóir Andrews agus daoine eile 17 bliain ó shin ar bhád eile a bhris an léigear sin ach tar éis dhá bliain d’ár, léirscrios leanúnach, cinedhíothú barbarach agus léigear níos daingne ar phobal, ar chathair agus ar cheantar Gaza, le breis agus 70,000 duine marbh agus na céadta mílte gortaithe agus stiúgtha le hocras, tá ár á dhéanamh ag Iosrael. Guím gach rath ar an bhflotilla agus guím síochán agus faoiseamh ar fhir, ar mhná agus ar pháistí na Palaistíne ón síorionsaí ó Iosrael.

Israel is not only intent on levelling and depopulating Gaza; it is using the cover of its onslaught to accelerate its attacks on all Palestinian lands, its institutions and peoples. Last week, the governor of the Palestine Monetary Authority briefed some of us in the House on the threats to their credit and banking system by the self-proclaimed fascist Israeli finance minister, Smotrich.

Palestine's present is under unprecedented assault by bombs and apartheid, while its future is being carved up by imperialist greed. Not alone are western forces intent on imposing the war criminal, Tony Blair, as viceroy in Gaza, but the genocidal regime of war crime fugitives in Israel is being given the green light to annex 82% of the West Bank with its E1 plan to permanently dismember any hope of a Palestinian sovereign territory. It is for the Palestinians - not Israel, not Trump, and not Tony Blair - to govern their own land, free from occupation, annexation and genocide. Saoirse don Phalaistín.

Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh (Kildare South, Sinn Fein)
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Time is measured in blood in Gaza. Those are the words of Bisan, a young Palestinian journalist whose people have endured nearly two years of bombardment, siege, starvation, and displacement, and still, the world watches and still, we do nothing.

Now we hear talk of so-called peace plans - plans pushed by Trump, who shows no regard for international law, and by Tony Blair, an unconvicted war criminal with blood on his hands from the war in Iraq. These men, products of settler colonial states like the US and Britain, have no moral authority to dictate terms to the Palestinian people.

Francesca Albanese called Trump's "deal of the century" exactly what it is: a trap of the century. It was never about peace; it was always about control. The United States - built on stolen land through genocide and slavery - has launched hundreds of military interventions globally, yet it postures as a peace broker. Israel, another settler colony, has been committing genocide in Gaza, and Washington continues to arm and defend it. How dare they claim the right to speak on peace? It is the people of Palestine not warmongers and imperialists who have the right to decide their future.

What about us here in Ireland? American warplanes pass through Shannon Airport without question, using our neutral soil as a military pit stop.

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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No, they do not.

Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh (Kildare South, Sinn Fein)
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The Government has not passed the occupied territories Bill. It has placed no sanctions - not one. It is always words, never action. Meanwhile, the Associated Press exposed harrowing stories of Palestinian women being exploited and offered food, water, work, or shelter in exchange for being raped. The perpetrators were reportedly linked to the aid organisations operating in the chaos created by Israel's total blockade and bombardment. This is not a side effect; this is a direct result of Israel's policy of total blockade and bombardment. This terrorist state has turned Gaza into a protracted humanitarian catastrophe. One million lives are being held hostage and there are 1 million realities of suffering.

The Irish people are screaming for justice and sanctions. The Opposition is screaming for justice and sanctions, and this Government, once again, does nothing. The Government is weak. It is failing to act in the face of genocide, and history will remember that silence, because silence is complicity.

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Deputy Ní Raghallaigh is so wrong. It is disgraceful.

Thomas Gould (Cork North-Central, Sinn Fein)
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I want to read into the record the names of three brave rebels who are now on a flotilla 120 nautical miles from Gaza - Tadhg Hickey, Donna Schwarz and Paddy Cole. They join our friend and comrade, Senator Chris Andrews, and many others who are sailing to Gaza. They are taking their lives in their hands because we know other flotillas have been attacked and people have been murdered. These people are showing bravery in going to Gaza, and to sail in the face of Israeli aggression. They have already been attacked by Israeli military drones. They know they are under threat. The bravery they show is only a fraction of the bravery the Palestinian people show every day. The Government must send a clear message to Israel about the people who are sailing to Gaza. Irish citizens and any other citizens on the flotilla should not be attacked or victimised in any way, shape or form. These people are going to bring aid and food to starving children. Israel is supported by some of the biggest countries in the world - the Americans, the British, the French and the Italians - who have given them guns so that they can slaughter men, women and children and now they are in the danger zone.

Israeli snipers are shooting children dead. The flotilla is trying to bring medical aid and food to children who are starving. Did we ever think it would happen again in our lifetime? How can genocide be allowed to happen in 2025? It is a shame on the Americans, British and Germans for backing the Israelis. How dare they murder people, including children, because they want freedom and justice. Where is the justice for the Palestinian people?

We are only a small country but we have a big voice and we have big hearts. The Tánaiste and the Government need to send out a clear message that we will stand with the Palestinian people. We want to protect our own people who are going to aid them. Saoirse don Phalaistín.

Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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I have a genuine fear for the reverberations and scars Gaza will have on humanity for generations to come. International law has been rendered meaningless. The primacy of United Nations institutions has been decimated.

We recalled many times in this House and across chambers all over the world the phrase "never again". It became the battle cry of humanity after the Holocaust. The phrase that will be used by generations to come in respect of what happened to Palestinians will be "too little, too late", because the making of what we have witnessed in Gaza in recent months has been coming for decades. Israel, repeatedly, for decade upon decade broke one international law after another when it engaged in occupation, annexation, illegal settlements and mass forced displacements. People warned decades ago that the trajectory was leading to a genocide. Unfortunately, the horrendous events of 7 October were used as the excuse for Israel to carry out the genocide we are now witnessing live on our television screens. Whatever the world is doing in response is too little, too late. I genuinely hope and pray we are at the point where a ceasefire is immanent. I hope that humanitarian aid, food and water is making its way to the children, women and men of Gaza. The work for humankind will only begin on that day. I genuinely fear it will take as many decades as it took to reach this point to get to the point where future generations will forgive the world and all those political leaders who allowed it to get to this point. We must make a start today. There must be a ceasefire, there must be the delivery of humanitarian aid and the world must finally demand that Israel stop its absolute barbarity.

Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein)
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At the outset, I acknowledge the protesters who gather every weekend around this country, and what the Irish people have done to stand up for Palestine and what they continue to do. I want to acknowledge that in the House today and thank them for it.

I extend deepest solidarity to the Palestinian people who are living under unimaginable and horrific suffering and starvation at the hands of the Israeli Government and its allies. The outbreak of this horrific genocide is approaching its second anniversary. Gaza has been flattened to the ground. There have been more than 66,000 deaths. In one week alone, between 3 and 10 September, 499 Palestinians were killed. Almost 170,000 people have been injured and 90% of the population has been forcibly displaced. There has been prolonged and enforced starvation on a civilian population. Famine was confirmed in Gaza for the first time by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has said Israel is committing war crime upon war crime. There have been 248 journalists killed and 540 aid workers slaughtered. Humanitarian aid has been weaponised by the Israeli Government, which controls every access point and aid distribution network. All aid distribution must be independent, impartial and neutral in line with humanitarian principles.

As I stand here today, I wonder what it will take. I go to different gatherings, as the Minister does, and I hear people talking about the occupied territories Bill. We both work in the business sphere. I hear businesses saying that services should not be included in the Bill. It is up to this Government to lead and to implement the occupied territories Bill without further delay. It has to be done. We have to stand up. Recognising the State of Palestine has to mean more. At a minimum, it has to mean implementing the occupied territories Bill, whatever it takes. We are willing to come in here day or night to do that.

Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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The situation in Gaza is not just a tragedy; it is a moral catastrophe. Over 66,000 Palestinians have been killed, entire districts have been reduced to rubble and hundreds of thousands of people have been forced to flee under relentless bombardment. Starving children are murdered while they wait for food. We have genocide and we have man-made famine. I say "man-made", but they are not men; they are monsters. Ireland knows the pain of occupation, and the struggle for dignity and for peace. Our history compels us to speak out when others are silenced. What is happening in Gaza is not a conflict, it is a systematic assault on a people's right to exist. The international community must do more, and Ireland must lead. Veto after veto by the United States at the UN is a betrayal of humanity. Aid convoys are being blocked, journalists are being targeted and the very fabric of civil life in Gaza is being torn apart. The Government here must follow the lead of the people of Ireland. Words must be turned into action; that is the real measure. There must be an immediate ceasefire, unfettered humanitarian access and accountability for war crimes. We must support the Palestinian people, not just with words but also with actions through boycotts, diplomacy and solidarity. Silence is complicity. In the face of such suffering, we must choose courage, justice and humanity. The eyes of the world are on the Global Sumud Flotilla. We wish them safe passage. They must be guaranteed that by their own governments and by the international community.

Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein)
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What is happening in Gaza is not a natural disaster, it is a man-made catastrophe. Entire families are buried under rubble, hospitals have been turned into graveyards, and children are starving not because food does not exist, but because it is deliberately withheld. Yet some so-called guardians of international law stand idle. They issue statements dripping with empty concern while continuing to arm and fund the very machinery of the Palestinian people's destruction. For too long the international community has chosen paralysis or, worse, complicity. They speak of restraint as though one of the most powerful militaries on earth and a besieged population of refugees are equal. They speak of both sides, when one side is caged, starved and bombed without pause. While they do nothing, ordinary people put themselves on the line to say Gaza will not be erased. They, in turn, often face the rigours of justice systems that are not just blind but also deaf and dumb to the humanitarian disaster that is Gaza and the barbaric action that is Israel. The Global Sumud Flotilla is sailing with nothing more than determination, humanitarian aid and the fundamental principle that human beings deserve to live free. For them, the next 24 hours are crucial, and our thoughts are with each and every one of them. Let us be very clear: solidarity ships should not be necessary, and international law should not be optional. In my opinion, the blood of Palestinians stains every capital of every country that has chosen silence and complicity over justice. The people of Palestine need more than outrage; they need us to be relentless in our pressure, to boycott and to protest. They need us to ensure what is delivered in terms of a peace plan is long-term and sustainable and results in a Palestinian State. History is watching and it will remember who stood with the oppressed and who enabled their very destruction.

Duncan Smith (Dublin Fingal East, Labour)
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The greatest ally genocide has is those who choose not to call it out when they see it. Over the weekend, I saw a commentary about whether there is the need for these statements on Gaza and, indeed, yesterday's statements on the flotilla. Some people in this country were questioning whether we should have these statements at all, considering the issues our own country faces. To those people I say: remember our own history. When the violence on this island came to an end, we required the assistance of other countries. We required international action and solidarity to help to negotiate and sustain a peace. We should not and we cannot forget our own history when we look to the plight of the Palestinians.

The Palestinian struggle is one of self-determination. Over 65,000 people have died since Israel launched its bombardment on Gaza following the abhorrent 7 October attacks. We have been and we need to continue to be clear that Hamas is a terrorist organisation. It is our belief that it should have no role as a jihadi terrorist organisation in a free Palestine. However, Israel's assault has not been entirely about destroying Hamas; it is about destroying Gaza and the Palestinian people. The Israeli Government does not believe in a Palestinian State. This is not controversial to say; it is a fact. In fact, since the assassination of Yitzhak Rabin in 1995 and the extinguishing of the flicker of hope that the Oslo Accords brought, the rise of Netanyahu has resulted in the diminishing hope of a Palestinian State.

Let us look at the comments of Israeli cabinet ministers. National security minister Ben-Gvir actively supports the continued annexation of the West Bank. Finance minister Smotrich has said there is no such thing as the Palestinian people. They have come a long way from Golda Meir, the Israeli Prime Minister of decades past who described herself as a Palestinian, to the point where the Israeli finance minister says this. He should look to his country's short but violent history. In his entire time as Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has undermined and blocked Palestinian statehood. He actively facilitated the funding of Hamas. This is not a secret. His logic was that a strong Hamas would lessen pressure on him to negotiate forward a Palestinian State. This is why genocide experts, Amnesty International and the United Nations have declared what Israel has done in Gaza to be a war crime and genocide.

We now have a tentative so-called peace agreement, which, according to reports, is changing faster than anyone can keep up with. The original pitch President Trump presented to the world seemed straightforward. It was that Israel, the US and its Arab partners were all aligned. We now hear that the original deal has shifted significantly, due in no small part to the actions of Benjamin Netanyahu who has managed to negotiate a number of changes to the original deal, in particular on the conditions and timetable of Israel's withdrawal from Gaza. The new proposal ties Israel's withdrawal to the progress in disarming Hamas and gives Israel a veto over the process. Even more concerning is that, if all the conditions are met and three phases of withdrawal are completed, Israeli forces will still remain within a security perimeter inside Gaza, "until Gaza is properly secure from any resurgent terror threat". This is not a vista of freedom for the Palestinian people. It is continued internment.

Eight countries have issued a joint statement welcoming with some reserve this ever-changing plan, without expressing full support for it. Officials from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan and Türkiye have been enraged by some of the recent changes. That is because they know Netanyahu's game plan. They have seen it before. In March of this year, Netanyahu broke a ceasefire blaming Hamas for not releasing hostages who were not part of the ceasefire agreement. He looks for any reason to continue to destroy the Palestinian people and continue to push them out of Gaza. We know what the Israeli Government wants. It has brought in demolition companies to clear the rubble in Gaza, not just making sure Palestinians cannot rebuild their homes should they get back to them, but ensuring Israeli settlers can build on that land and on the graves of those they have carpet bombed. This is the end result of allowing Israel to operate without limits.

Since the start of September, it has attacked six countries. It has been given carte blancheby the American Government to do so. It is a country that has been given absolute power and, as history has consistently shown us, absolute power corrupts absolutely. Netanyahu has form for corruption. He was indicted in 2019 on charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust and so far has found ways to delay his trial and avoid any consequences. Netanyahu is concerned only with Netanyahu, growing Israel and extinguishing any Palestinian hopes of self-determination and statehood.

What does the plan on the table look like? From what we know, Trump's plan takes the forced displacement of Palestinians from Gaza off the table, along with any permanent Israeli occupation of the enclave. It also rules out Israeli annexation of the occupied West Bank. It promises a surge of humanitarian aid to Gaza and includes support by the Trump Administration for "a credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood". It commits the US to resuming peace talks between Israel and Palestine. Despite who is making the proposals, they all sound positive but none - or very few - of us trust that there is real intent behind them.

The Irish Government has done more than many for Palestine. The recognition of statehood is both important and symbolic. Providing medical care to individuals who have managed to get out of the region has been vital and the aid supplies we have funded have been meaningful. Joining the Opposition in the cross-party motion yesterday was also important. However, better than others is not always good enough. We may be a small country, but no one could doubt the imprint we have left on the globe. We need to utilise that imprint to help the Palestinian people further. All the pageantry from Israel pretending it only cares about Hamas and wants Palestinians to live in a Gaza free of Hamas has now been dropped. There has a been a systematic removal and destruction of a people and their living and economic environs, unencumbered by other nations. We have normalised this behaviour for far too long.

We should applaud RTÉ for being clear that if Israel competes in Eurovision, we will not. Cultural boycotts are important. Its football teams should not be competing in UEFA or FIFA sanctioned tournaments. Its athletes should not be allowed to compete in the World Athletics Championship or the Olympic Games. These are all measures that were imposed rightly on Russia when it invaded Ukraine, yet Israel seems to be outside that kind of cultural and sporting sanction and boycott. We will be complicit in the normalisation of what Israel is doing if we continue to allow it to act within the norms of international behaviour.

The international community has been too slow and has done too little, but the Government does not have to follow course. There are direct actions that can be taken. Passing the occupied territories Bill could be done in a short time. I sit on the foreign affairs committee and was involved in the pre-legislative scrutiny of the Bill. There is support across the House, including among the Government backbenches, to move this quickly and it should be done. The Government could decide to support the Global Sumud Flotilla. We could do so in a way that would not have an impact on neutrality and would not breach the triple lock. We have precedents, such as Operation Pontus, which I mentioned yesterday. We could send a naval vessel in an observational capacity and we in the Labour Party believe that should be done. Our role as peacekeepers is respected globally and this would be another example.

What the next few days will bring for Gaza, peace in the Middle East or the flotilla that threatens to break the aid blockade, we do not know. It is a reality that has become all the more present in the post-Trump world that decisions with widespread consequences seem to be taken on a whim. In truth, we can do nothing about Trump or how he operates, but we can be consistent. We can provide consistent assurance to the people of Palestine that we stand with them and that we will back that solidarity with action. There will come a time when a large portion of the globe will have to reckon not only with the actions of Israel but also their own inaction when it comes to the plight of the Palestinian people. For years, Israel has acted with impunity, backed by the United States and many in Europe. The Israeli Government and the IDF do not see the Palestinian people as having any rights. They see them merely as something in their way. No amount of deflecting or PR spin can change that. Under the leadership of Netanyahu, the Israeli Government has committed mass genocide and will continue to do so.

I will close my contribution with a quote from Martin Luther King Junior, which we would all do well to remember:

The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience but where he stands in times of challenge and controversy.

There has been no greater time of challenge and controversy in the past 20 years than the past two years with what we have seen in Gaza. When history books are written, let us say we did everything we possibly could to end this violence and genocide.

Mark Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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I begin by sending my solidarity to the global flotilla. A number of boats in the fleet have already suffered attacks as Israeli aggression tries to derail the flotilla's journey. I condemn these attacks and hope that all the crew and passengers will remain safe.

I highlight a petition by one of my constituents, Holly Caffrey, calling for action on Gaza. It is one of many actions by the people of Kildare South to call out these crimes on the people of Palestine. The death toll in Gaza has reached unimaginable levels. It has reached over 66,000 according to recent reports. These figures often hide the untold devastation inflicted on a whole population. We have seen the Israeli war machine wipe out entire generations, entire towns, entire villages. This is genocide of epic proportions, the effects of which will continue to ripple throughout history. We must always continue to call this out as what it is, a genocide. Every day Israel continues to commit war crimes against the people of Gaza while many western leaders stand back. It gives me great hope that so many in this House have called out this genocide.

However, we must move beyond words and towards action. The Government must act and make its occupied territories Bill a priority for the legislative programme this autumn and it must include services, as recommended by the Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade. While Ireland is a small country, our voice is one of the loudest on Gaza. We must continue this effort and lead the way as many countries are already following us by recognising the State of Palestine. Along with my Labour Party colleagues, I continue call for Israel to be isolated by the international community, whether that be through Eurovision or a UEFA ban.

We must look at every possible action to stop the genocide.

As my colleague has done, I cautiously welcome news of a peace plan for Gaza as announced by the US President Donald Trump. However, it has yet to be fully agreed by all parties. More details are needed on elements of the plan such as the proposed board of peace.

I hope we can see an end to the war in Gaza. Nothing else is acceptable. There must be a lasting peace in the region which is built on a two-state solution. We must see action soon.

Marie Sherlock (Dublin Central, Labour)
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I do not doubt all the efforts the Tánaiste and Government are making on the European and world stages to use every sinew of influence and diplomacy to stop the slaughter in Gaza, to call out the outrageous expansion of the illegal settlements and to call for the protection of the Irish citizens on the humanitarian mission on the Sumud flotilla, including Sarah Clancy, a constituent, and two Oireachtas Members. There are many others on that flotilla who all need the support of the Irish Government.

I also do not doubt the shameful hostility that Ministers and our Taoiseach and Tánaiste regularly face from other countries when they back the proposal to partially end the Israel-EU trade agreement. It is an outrage that any EU country would vote to block that partial ending, not even a full ending, of the EU-Israel trade agreement. Beyond the act of politics, there is the economics of peace making. It is really crucial that we in Ireland say that we have not run out of road here. With regard to the occupied territories Bill, we must move forward and we must not hand back. In Ireland, millions of euro are spent every year in State procurement on products purchased from an Israeli manufacturing company. As a trade unionist, I take very seriously that there are jobs in Waterford with Teva pharmaceuticals but the reality is they also have a major contract with the HSE providing pharmaceuticals in this country. We have to look at using every leverage this State has to influence major multinationals with influence in Israel. There maybe talk of peace but it is hardly going to be a lasting deal when it is foisted by one side over another. The ground war is well under way as we know to raze the remaining 800,000 people in Gaza. There is a child dead for every hour of every day over the past 23 months. More journalist lives have been lost in Gaza than in the past 100 years. More journalists lives have been lost than in World War I, World War II, Vietnam and all the other major wars over the last century. I am not sure that we have any real idea of what is happening in Gaza right now.

The key message for the Government today is that there can be no let up in the State’s efforts. I am really clear, as are my colleagues, that while diplomacy and politics are really important we also have to look at the economics of peace making and ensure no stone is let unturned in our country to do what we can to influence and bring peace to Gaza and to all Palestinians.

Cormac Devlin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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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.

Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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The American poet Maya Angelou famously coined the phrase, "You can't really know where you are going until you know where you have been". The Israeli cabinet either does not know or reflect on their collective history. There is certainly a sense of some selective amnesia. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s father-in-law was the sole survivor of his family following the Holocaust. Both parents of the Israeli minister for agriculture Avi Dichter were Polish Jews and survivors of the Holocaust. Avi Dichter's grandfather, after whom he is named, was murdered by Nazis, in his local ghetto. Both parents of Israel Katz, the Israeli minister for defence, were Holocaust survivors from Romania. I could go on and on because the history of people of the Jewish faith is a very sorrowful, often brutal one. Nearly every Jew in this world can, unfortunately, trace family back to the Holocaust years. The murder of loved ones in concentration camps and in ghettos still hangs as a dark cloud of shame over all humanity.

Therefore how is it that any person whose ancestors had endured such destruction, barbarism, cruelty and murder could allow history to again repeat itself? How, in any moral conscience, can any of the aforementioned Israeli cabinet ministers wage a genocidal war against innocent men, women and particularly children in Gaza? Where is the moral compass of the Israeli Parliament and Government at this time?

At a meeting of the United Nations in 2009 Netanyahu, referring to an Iranian threat to his country stated, "We cannot allow evil to prepare the mass death of innocents." Yet, following the 7 October Hamas attacks, a campaign of revenge against a few people became overnight a war on humanity, an assault on innocence and a destruction of many. It is now a full-blown genocide.

I commend the efforts of this Government, acting in the international community in terms of recognising the legitimising of the Palestinian State while equally condemning Hamas and calling at international level for peace and the flow of aid for the people who so desperately need it.

The peace deal on offer this week has very much cornered the Palestinian people. I cannot see how it can work. One of the conditions of peace was that if they agreed to it aid, medicine and food would flow. How horrendous and disgusting is that that we will withhold and weaponise the very things that give life to people until they sign on the dotted line and sign away everything their country aspires to.

On the Sumud flotilla, like others in the House, I have constituents and people I know on those boats. They are to be admired. It is an act of heroism. They are putting themselves at risk. The international community needs to come together. I have some words of criticism before I finish. Far too many European countries have rightful hang-ups about their history, which they should have, but these hang-ups should not determine how they govern in the year 2025.

They should not tie their hands when they have to act and do the right thing. I will not name the countries; they all know who they are. Week on week, they are stifling the very actions and sanctions that need to happen. The same sanctions that were able to happen overnight against Vladimir Putin are simply not happening against the Israeli Government. The Irish Government has a lot done. We need to protect our citizens on the flotilla but the European community needs to speak better and with one voice.

Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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Like everybody else, I welcome the efforts to bring peace to the Middle East. I hope the present peace agreement takes hold. I am very disturbed by reports that the Israeli Prime Minister has unilaterally sought to change certain fundamental aspects of that agreement. If so, he is acting in very bad faith.

The Israelis say they have achieved their war aims but I am not entirely sure what their war aims are. Their only stated war aim is the destruction and elimination of Hamas. I suppose from one point of view that is understandable, but it must be borne in mind that if something does not fundamentally change in the Middle East, and if the way in which the Israelis treat their Palestinian counterparts and neighbours does not change, then the conditions that brought Hamas, and before Hamas the PLO and other terrorist organisations, a number of which are still in operation out there, into existence do not change, it will not matter. Even if every single member of Hamas comes in tomorrow and surrenders, other similar organisations, whatever they wish to call themselves, will spring up.

There is no doubt the events of 7 October were barbaric beyond belief. However, to describe the Israeli reaction as proportionate or measured is to deprive language of meaning. We have had ad hoc brutality, 70,000 people dead, 20,000 of whom were children, people starving to death and food withheld; the Tánaiste spelled it out very eloquently. Then we have the threadbare excuses. A member of the Israeli military will appear on television when somebody hits a hospital instead of a military target and say that somebody in the military made a mistake and that they will have an inquiry into it. How many of these inquiries have been held? Have the results ever been published? Has anybody ever been held to account? I very much doubt it. Then there is the second excuse, that they killed X number of civilians but were targeting a Hamas terrorist. That is something akin to dropping an atomic bomb on a crowded shopping mall to get rid of one shoplifter. That is the level to which this has descended.

Incidentally, while I recognise the work done by President Trump and his team, I am very disappointed with the take-it-or-leave-it attitude of the Prime Minister of Israel and the President of the United States. There are several aspects of this agreement that need to be teased out, such as the question of Israeli withdrawal and the timescale for it and the fundamental question of Palestinian statehood. All of these issues have to be thrashed out. Instead of the Israelis saying they know there are things that have to be discussed, the Palestinians are being told that if they do not sign on the dotted line, as my colleague Deputy Crowe has said, Israel will not only withhold food and medicine but will rain down fire and brimstone on their heads and use the military power of the United States to help it continue unabated with the slaughter. That is not the way to approach a peace process, in my view.

Something has to be done about the West Bank. Obviously, it is not part of this agreement but something has to be done about it. There is continued aggressive encroachment by Israeli settlers, tens of thousands of them at this stage, actively supported by members of the Israeli military, without any sanctions or any effort by the Israeli Government to deter them. That simply cannot continue. I say again that if the Israelis continue to treat the Palestinians as they have done since the foundation of the Israeli state back in the 1940s, then there will be more groups such as Hamas in the future and endless conflict.

Mark Ward (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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As we speak, there are boats on the way to Gaza, boats with aid for a starving population and with support for a population inflicted with genocide. The only arms on these boats are prosthetic arms for children who have lost limbs during this genocide. There are also 22 Irish civilians on these boats. One of them is my friend and comrade Senator Chris Andrews. I have been in regular touch with Chris over recent weeks and I fully support the flotilla. I wish him and his fellow activists safe passage as they deliver food and aid.

We have to ask why they are doing this. It is because the Israel Defense Forces have murdered starving civilians as they queued for food. They have shot them dead where they stood waiting for food. It is like a real-life version of "The Hunger Games" but this is not a fictional film. This is real life and these are real people getting murdered as they queue for the most basic of human needs, food. Israel has weaponised hunger and forced mass starvation. What we are witnessing is genocide in real time, played out for the world to see right across our TV screens and phones.

There has been eight decades of oppression, occupation and apartheid in Palestine. Today there are 6 million Palestinian refugees right across the Middle East, just because Palestinian lands have been taken by Israelis. Today there are over 750,000 illegal Israeli settlers in illegal settlements. These are war crimes under international law. Israel has ignored it and the international community has ignored it. Israel has caused the mass displacement of Palestinians from their homes. Families are running from one slaughter to another. Families do not even have time to bury the remains of their dead children or loved ones before they have to run. Gaza has been razed to the ground. Hospitals, schools, water, power stations and civilian infrastructure have all been destroyed. Entire neighbourhoods have been wiped out. Journalists, medical professionals and aid workers have all been attacked with impunity.

I listened recently to the new peace deal on offer. I will be honest, I will not start saying we need X, Y and Z in this peace deal; what I will say is that we need to stop the slaughter, the genocide and the bombs. Everything else can be sorted with dialogue but right now what the Palestinian people need is the genocide to stop, the bombs to stop, the guns to stop firing and food and aid to be delivered.

Dessie Ellis (Dublin North-West, Sinn Fein)
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With the slaughter that is now taking place in Gaza, it is easy to forget about the five successive wars that took place in Gaza between 2009 and 2022. The Israeli political and military establishment has long held a disdain and contempt for the Gaza Strip and always had an eye to taking it over and ethnically cleansing the area of its Palestinian population. These previous wars resulted in the deaths of thousands of Palestinian men, women and children. The number of Palestinians killed by Israel in the previous wars in Gaza pales in comparison to the wholesale slaughter that is now being carried out on the civilian population by the IDF in this current war, which began on 7 October after an attack by Hamas on communities and settlements bordering the Gaza Strip.

Israel's war on Gaza has been ongoing since the 1948 Nakba and even before then. The ultimate goal of Israel has always been to eradicate the Palestinian presence from Palestine. The Gaza Strip is only 25 miles long and from 3.7 miles to 7.5 miles wide. Over 2 million people are squeezed into this densely packed territory. In this tiny area, Israel has systematically wiped out homes, hospitals, religious sites, educational facilities, transport infrastructure and every other type of facility or structure required for the proper governance of a country. Israel has also deliberately created conditions for mass starvation and disease. It is clear the objective of Israel in this war is to make Gaza uninhabitable.

This effort at depopulation also applies to the West Bank, where the construction of illegal settlements has accelerated under the government of Netanyahu, whose cabinet includes far-right settlers. Settlers emboldened by the IDF have increased their attacks on local Palestinian communities, ransacking villages, killing residents and destroying farmland. Since 7 October, there have been more than 2,400 settler attacks on Palestinian properties, resulting in the displacement of thousands of people. Israel is clearly of the view it can operate outside the norms of humanity with impunity. This deliberate blocking of food, water and aid to a starving population is a cruel collective punishment of the Palestinian people and a clear indication of Israel's contempt for humanity.

I extend best wishes to those on the flotilla bringing aid to Gaza, including Senator Chris Andrews and a local Finglas man, Diarmuid Mac Dubhghlais, or "Dougie", as we know him. We wish them all the best and safe passage but - my God - they are up against it.

Sinéad Gibney (Dublin Rathdown, Social Democrats)
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I will pick up where I finished my speech on the Sumud flotilla yesterday. I was emphasising a point I have made again and again on this floor. This Government has a unique mandate, given to it by a population that is unwavering and unequivocal in our support for Gaza. Sadly, the Minister of State's Government has squandered this by not acting. We have heard the right words from it, but it has not acted on the occupied territories Bill, which remains unenacted a year after the election campaign in which the Government parties promised it and which it is watering down with the removal of services. It has not acted on addressing the role of our Central Bank in the approval of Israeli bonds. I realise that has now ceased but that was not as the result of Government actions. It has not acted to stop our airspace and Shannon Airport being used to transport munitions and personnel. At EU level, it has not pushed with all of the might of a member state of the European Union for the suspension of the EU-Israel association agreement. The Tánaiste referenced this in his opening speech, referring to it as a sanction. It is not a sanction. It is the revocation of a privilege. We have not got near sanctions yet.

All of that aside, I will focus my contribution on the issue of asylum and specifically on family reunification. I welcome to the Public Gallery today Bushra and her son Mohammed. I will tell their story. Bushra is a mother of four and was accompanied to Ireland by her son Mohammed as a medical evacuee. She had to leave her other children behind in the care of their elderly grandmother because her husband was killed in the same bombing that injured Mohammed and burned the passports of her three children who remain in Gaza. In that bombing, Mohammed lost one leg and severely injured the other. He has had 39 surgeries, 13 of them without anaesthetic. He speaks about his siblings every day. Bushra is desperate to the reunited with her children. I spoke with her before I came into the Chamber today. She put it so clearly, saying that this is life and death. It is a must. She speaks with her children but she cannot read them stories. She speaks to them to check that they are still alive. She was medically evacuated ten weeks ago. This Government promised family reunification but it has not happened. I appreciate that it is not simple and that there are difficulties in getting people out of Gaza right now. Bushra and the people supporting and surrounding her are very clear, however. They will remove those barriers if this Government shows its determination and willingness to bring her children to her.

I will also put on record that I believe the Tánaiste and other Cabinet Ministers misled the Dáil in dismissing concerns from Members on this side of the House some weeks ago that the Government's reasons for denying visas for the Palestine GAA group were not actually child safeguarding issues. We have since learned that an official in the Department of justice communicated with the Minister of justice that the principal concern was overstay. What I am hearing is that families are being treated differently from students and not being given the access to the family reunification the Irish people want to offer them.

I will finish by again emphasising that we, the Irish people, have given the Government a mandate to act but that it is failing to do so in the many ways I have mentioned but primarily in failing to bring families like Bushra and her son Mohammed's together again.

Pádraig Rice (Cork South-Central, Social Democrats)
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The genocide in Gaza is, without a doubt, the issue I am contacted most about by people from Cork. I am frustrated by the lack of action we have seen and that I have nothing of substance to say to the people who contact me. I cannot answer their questions as to why the Government has not passed the occupied territories Bill or why it is allegedly allowing the use of Shannon and Irish airspace to facilitate the transport of weapons. The Government has the power to act on these issues and I urge it to use that power.

I offer my support to those on board the flotilla, including the 22 Irish citizens, which include two of our colleagues in Leinster House and the Cork citizens Tadhg Hickey and Donna Schwarz. I will echo what my colleague, Deputy Gibney, said yesterday that in the face of the intimidation tactics Israel has been using, we need to be ready to step up to provide whatever financial and logistical support we can to protect those on board.

I also want to mention the proposed plan. While I welcome the hope of peace, we have to look at what is being proposed. The reality of this deal is that Trump has presented us with a dangerous ultimatum, threatening devastating consequences should it not be accepted, Netanyahu has refused to accept even the concept of a Palestinian State and the people of Gaza have had no voice in the proceedings. Is this really how we end a genocide? Of course, we must always push for peace and diplomacy but we have to reflect on the reality of the situation and what it will mean for the people of Gaza, who have already been through such horrors.

In conclusion, I once again urge the Government to pass the occupied territories Bill, to end the use of Shannon by the US military, to apply the maximum pressure on the international stage and to protect those on board the flotilla. This is a defining moment. The Irish people have been clear. This genocide must end and the Government must act.

Gary Gannon (Dublin Central, Social Democrats)
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I will begin by joining Deputy Gibney in welcoming her friends Bushra and Mohammed to the Chamber. Their presence here is really welcome and we hope they will be joined by Bushra's other children very shortly. I will also acknowledge the 22 citizens who are on board the flotilla heading for Gaza, two of whom are colleagues of ours. They are bringing medical supplies, including prosthetic legs. All of us across the Chamber who know the people on board are genuinely fearful of what might happen to them as a consequence because we know who they are facing.

Ireland's voice has stood out on Gaza precisely because the bar has been so low. In a sea of silence, or worse, complicity, Ireland has spoken at times with clarity and humanity. That is something we absolutely should be proud of. However, two years on, thousands upon thousands of people have taken to the streets of Ireland to demand that we turn those words into actions. There is still so much more we can do.

Across the European Union, too many member states have failed the test of conscience. Countries that define themselves by the principle of "never again" continue to block the suspension of the EU-Israel association agreement, even as evidence grows of genocide, of the war crimes we are witnessing every day and of collective punishment. Others are hiding behind process or empty declarations but the effect is the same; Europe has chosen trade and politics over human rights.

It was almost a year ago to the day when the Taoiseach came before the foreign affairs committee and promised us that the enactment of the occupied territories Bill would be one of the first acts of the Government should he be re-elected. That promise has not been fulfilled.

We are now presented with a US plan that is dressed up in the language of peace but which, in reality, entrenches injustices. It proposes outside control over Gaza, foreign overseers to manage reconstruction and an economic package without political rights. It speaks of stability but offers no genuine sovereignty, no pathway to Palestinian self-determination and no accountability for those who have unleashed devastation upon devastation upon its people. It is not a plan for peace. It is a plan to manage occupation under a new banner but, even still, we all hope for its success just so it can bring the genocide and slaughter to an end.

We should lead the call for the suspension of the EU trade agreement with Israel every single day. We should call for international law to be respected, continuously amplify calls for accountability at the International Criminal Court and stand against attempts by powerful states to repackage injustice as diplomacy. Ireland's voice matters because we know what it means to depend on law and not money. If the EU cannot or simply will not act and if the US proposes only management of the status quo, then Ireland must continue to insist that Palestinian lives are equal and that international law must mean something real now more than ever.

Liam Quaide (Cork East, Social Democrats)
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I was nine or ten years old when I first read about the Holocaust. I vividly remember what a profound impact it had on me at the time. I learned of unthinkable acts committed by people against other people and it shattered the rather innocent view I had of human nature up until that point. I recall going into a very dark state of mind, something akin to what the novelist Martin Amis later termed “species shame”, that feeling of alienation and disgust that comes with an awareness of what people like ourselves are capable of. I comforted myself with the notion that the Holocaust must have been an aberration so horrific it was in its scale of cruelty and destruction.

Yet, of course, there have been many other genocides throughout history. In 2025, Gaza has been plunged into hell and we are all witnesses to extensive crimes against humanity committed by Israel over the past two years.

One of the most shameful aspects of what the Israeli state is committing in Gaza is what Israeli historian Ilan Pappé has identified as its abuse and manipulation of the memory of the Holocaust to tar critics of its genocidal actions as antisemitic and to adopt a position of victimhood based on the historical suffering of the Jewish people while at the same time committing offences against civilians as horrific as what the Nazis did during their infernal reign. The flotilla volunteers will go down in history as heroes at a time when those with the most power in Europe did little more than take refuge in the rhetoric of condemnation while cowering from meaningful action against an out-of-control genocidal regime.

Rory Hearne (Dublin North-West, Social Democrats)
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In many ways, our words have lost meaning. The words we speak include "genocide". Genocide is ongoing right now in Gaza. The word "genocide" has almost lost its meaning because we have all watched it live-streamed on our phones and have seen thousands and thousands of people murdered by Israel, yet what has been done? The word "genocide" has lost meaning for the people of Gaza.

Our hearts are broken for the people of Gaza. In fact, the very souls of all of us have been hollowed by the murder of 20,000 children. Our eyes are burned by the images of fathers holding lifeless daughters and sons and daughters and sons lying beside lifeless fathers and mothers. How have we let this happen? How have we let these children be bombed in shelters, schools and tents? How have we let their beautiful laughs be silenced forever? How do we let this genocide continue?

Our governments use strong words to condemn Israel, but the words are empty without real action. Ordinary people across the world have bravely protested. They are in the Global Sumud Flotilla, holding our hearts and hopes for peace, our hopes that the blockade will be broken and humanitarian aid delivered. These ordinary people are taking the action our governments should. I call on the Irish Government and governments across Europe to protect them and protect the innocent children of Gaza and the people in the West Bank. I plead with the Government to implement the occupied territories Bill and put sanctions on Israel anois.

It is upsetting, and I apologise for getting upset, but it is hard to really talk about this without talking about the actual people who are dying and being murdered every day. All of us need to show our humanity and reflect on what is going on, a genocide right now while we all stand and watch.

John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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I am sure all of the Members will join with you, Deputy Gibney, in welcoming Bushra and Mohammed to the Gallery and say them that they are very welcome. I have no doubt the Minister who sat in the Chamber during the Deputy's contribution will take that message, so eloquently delivered, to the appropriate Department and ask for the action that is required.

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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I too want to compliment all of the people who contributed here today. We in this House have to remember that whether we are in opposition or the people in government, we all have the one aim and ambition. We never thought that in our lifetimes we would witness what is happening today. The advent of modern communication methods mean we can see these horrors unfolding before our eyes. We did not ever think we would see this. It is a genocide and it is happening on the watch of all of us. Everybody is right - we are all outraged and we want action - but I believe this Government, led by our Taoiseach, Tánaiste and others, is acting.

For example, high-level talks took place in America last week. It was the priority of the Government to try to ensure that we would all come together, all over the world. I would be the first person to say larger institutions than ours are not playing their full role in this. It is not abdicating responsibility, because all of us in every country are responsible. All normal and right-thinking people would be outraged at the horror of seeing innocent adults and children, in particular, being killed. Deputy Hearne is dead right to talk about children and about fathers carrying their dead or severely injured children. It is shocking and upsetting.

It should not be the case in this House that it is us on one side and the Opposition on the other on this issue. We all want the same thing. All we want is for the killing to stop. We want the humanitarian aid to get through and the blockades to be removed. We want recognition that these people are entitled to live in peace, security and harmony. The people who are surviving are traumatised. Deputy Hearne put a very thought-provoking image in our heads when he spoke so excellently, but we also need to consider the children who are surviving, who will live the rest of their lives with the horror of what they have see. Every one of us can remember our early childhood, including the good and bad things that happened. The bad things might have been something as innocent as losing a football match. That pales in comparison to the horror of what these children have survived and have to live with and the images they have seen. It is frightening beyond belief. It is right for it to be debated in this House.

Of course every one of us is frustrated. We all want to be sure that we are doing everything we can as quickly as possible and ensuring that other like-minded people throughout the world work together. Of course, my thoughts and prayers are very much with the people on the flotilla. We want them to be successful. As well as the practical success, the image of what they are trying to do being portrayed around the world is important, along with their safety and protection. I really believe that they should be successful in their mission. All of us on all sides of the House are praying for all of those good people, who are putting themselves in harm's way for what is probably the most important issue that will ever come before us as parliamentarians in our lifetimes. Please God we will never again live to see a time like this.

Ireland welcomes the ongoing efforts to end the war in Gaza, including those of the US even though it should be doing more. Progress is being made to secure an agreement that brings an end to the violence in Gaza, secures the release of the hostages held by Hamas and ensures that vital humanitarian aid gets to Gaza. In the hope that the US efforts can lead to a ceasefire and lay the ground for a lasting peace, Hamas needs to seize the opportunity to lay down its arms and release all of the hostages.

The Middle East was a core priority for Ireland at the high-level UN meeting in New York last week, in particular the implementation of the two-state solution between Israel and Palestine. The humanitarian situation in Gaza has never been worse and continues to significantly deteriorate. Ireland is extremely concerned about the escalation of the Israeli offensive in Gaza, which will only lead to more bloodshed, loss of life, starvation and even greater distance from any hope of peace.

The famine review committee of the integrated food security classification phase system has determined that a famine is occurring in Gaza and is projected to spread further across the strip. This is an entirely man-made famine and must be halted and reversed. Ireland calls on Israel to completely and immediately lift its blockade and allow the full resumption of humanitarian aid into and throughout Gaza.

Barry Ward (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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Tá roinnt ama caite agam i nGaza agus bhí seans agam a bheith ann in 2000. I visited Gaza for the first time in 2000. At that time, believe it or not, it was possible to get a bus down through Israel to the border at Rafah and cross into Egypt. That happened for a brief period. I was also there in 2005 after the disengagement from the Israeli settlements in the Gaza Strip. These are, therefore, people and places I actually know. What is happening there defies description and certainly defies justification. It is not just heart-wrenching but horrific and nightmare-inducing, so much so that I find it difficult to watch some of the coverage available, not on mainstream media but certainly online, where it is possible to see what is happening to ordinary, innocent people just trying to live their lives.

I have listened to what all the speakers have said in this debate and I absolutely agree with the upset it causes to people. We also need to look at what we can do to resolve this and what we are doing. I am proud of what Irish people have done and the stance Irish people have taken, despite people telling us it is against our economic interest, for example, in terms of our relationship with the United States. I welcome that we as a people feel that affinity with the people of Gaza and of Palestine in general and that we understand how important an issue this is. I share the frustrations of people who feel that Ireland is not doing enough but we should recognise that actually Irish politicians have led the way on this subject in Europe and in the world. The Irish Government was the first to really call out what Israel was doing in the aftermath of the attacks in October 2023, which cannot be justified. Hamas must accept responsibility for sacrificing a civilian population on the altar of its political ambition. There are no two ways about that.

What has happened since then has not just been grossly disproportionate and criminal on an industrial and international scale, but genocidal and contrary to all humanity and all law. I welcome, therefore, that Ireland is beginning to build a coalition at European level and that Ministers have gone to Europe and persuaded other countries to follow us, whether that is in terms of making the statement that we are not happy about what is happening to recognising the State of Palestine, to talking about imposing actual restrictions and penalties on Israel in terms of trade. However insufficient that may seem, it is what we can do. I am proud that Irish politicians and the Irish Government are doing this.

I am not trying to make a political speech and I am not trying to say we are great because it is beyond frustrating how powerless we are to stop this from happening. However, I will say this in a political context, though: as a proud European and chair of the European affairs joint committee here in the Oireachtas, I am infinitely disappointed by the failure of the European Union to deal with this. I am really worried that this failure of a response is going to fracture the positive relationship Irish people have with the Union. I say that in a context of my party colleagues in the EPP being President of the Commission and President of the European Parliament, both of whom went to Israel in the aftermath of the attacks in October 2023 and stood next to Israeli Ministers who were opening saying they were going to break international law. They said they stood with them. That is unforgivable. They have apologised for it, but it is not enough. One of the things we must do as a polity is convince our European colleagues that we have to stand together. If Europe cannot act together on this issue, then Europe will be ineffective in a way we have not seen previously. I am disappointed, but we have an opportunity as international diplomats to do something about it and we must call on our European colleagues to do that as well.

Albert Dolan (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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What has unfolded before our eyes in Gaza is nothing short of catastrophic. It is a stain on humanity and it demands our unflinching condemnation. Since the war began, over 65,000 people have lost their lives, tens of thousands more have been injured and millions are displaced and starving. Children are buried beneath rubble, hospitals and schools are destroyed and an entire people are being deliberately deprived of food, water and medical aid. This is not just war: this is a systematic assault on human dignity.

Let us be absolutely clear that the barbaric and heinous attacks carried out by Hamas on 7 October 2023 were indefensible. Those acts of terror caused unimaginable suffering and should never be forgotten. Israel's response, though, has been disproportionate to a level that shocks the conscience of the world. It is indefensible, unlawful and inhumane. An independent UN commission has confirmed that what Israel is doing constitutes genocide. Its report found acts of killing, of deliberately inflicting conditions designed to bring about destruction and of causing serious harm, and even of measures to prevent births. These are not words to be used lightly. Genocide is the most serious of crimes under international law and, as Navi Pillay said:

The prevention of genocide is not a matter of discretion of states. It is a legal and moral obligation, and admits no delay.

Ireland cannot stand by in silence. We have recognised Palestine as a sovereign state. We have intervened at the International Court of Justice. We have been one of the strongest voices in Europe calling for the suspension of trade privileges with Israel, for sanctions against those who enable and perpetuate this brutality and for unimpeded humanitarian aid to flow into Gaza. Since January 2023, Ireland has provided more than €95 million in direct support to the Palestinian people. We have stood firmly with UNRWA, even as others tried to turn their backs. We have welcomed Palestinian patients and their families into our hospitals for urgent care but aid and words alone are not enough. The famine now gripping Gaza is entirely man-made. It is the direct result of a blockade that is strangling an entire people. That blockade must end immediately. Food, water and medicine must be allowed into Gaza unhindered.

There is a glimmer of hope. The peace proposal announced in Washington earlier this week, supported by countries across the region, must be seized upon. It offers the prospect of a ceasefire, the release of hostages and the beginning of reconstruction. Importantly, it makes clear there can be no displacement of the people of Gaza, no occupation by Israel and no role for Hamas in the political future. That is a framework we can build on. The only durable path to peace is the two-state solution.

Naoise Ó Cearúil (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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As we sit and stand here today, the genocide continues in Gaza. Some 65,000 people have been murdered, with 20,000 of those being children. I am conscious of not just what is happening in Gaza but also of what is happening in the West Bank and the displacement of people there as well. It is welcome and encouraging that there has been progress on a peace proposal and that significant countries in the region have committed to work with the US to finalise the agreement and ensure its implementation. What it lacks, though, is Palestinian engagement, Palestinian voices and a Palestinian consideration. That should be one of the primary objectives of any peace proposal. We are looking at trying to end what is a genocide in Palestine without the people of Palestine being engaged at this moment on the proposed peace deal. That is a serious problem and needs to be rectified as soon as possible.

It will take generations to rebuild Gaza and to recover from the trauma the people of Palestine have endured. Other Deputies mentioned the European Union. Ireland has led from the front in a European context as a small European nation but the European Union has not stood up to the challenge of addressing what are very clear war crimes and very clear genocide. The suspension of the EU-Israel trade agreement is not something that should only be discussed now; it should have been discussed two years ago, and, in some cases, prior to that as well. The occupied territories Bill is going through as priority legislation. As many Deputies said, though, it has been discussed for so long and we have not seen it delivered to date. It needs to be delivered as priority legislation.

Regardless of this peace deal, war crimes have been committed and those involved in Israel need to be brought before the international criminal courts for those very war crimes and they cannot get out of those just purely by agreeing some sort of peace deal.

Paul Donnelly (Dublin West, Sinn Fein)
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There are times when we are lost for words. We see the absolute horrors being inflicted on the people of Palestine on our screens every day. It is hard to watch but we must continue to share these stories. Children and babies are starving to death. Israeli snipers are shooting children in different parts of their bodies - sometimes at their hearts, sometimes at their heads and sometimes at their genitals - just for fun or for target practice.

I watched last night, on a video, a young boy aged approximately ten or 11 running away from the Israeli advance in Gaza. He could not understand why he could not breathe and he did not realise he had been shot in the neck as he was running away.

The Taoiseach is meeting today with EU leaders. We rightly condemn Russia and sanction it, ban leaders and support the Ukrainian people. We rightly call for the upholding of international law and human rights, but not for the Palestinian people. Why are they denied the same rights, supports and sanctions from the USA, Britain and the EU? Those who dare to lecture the world on human rights and international law, the so-called "upholders of international laws on human rights" and of so-called "western values", all stand exposed as the liars and hypocrites that they are. They say that there will be no deal on Ukraine without Ukrainian people. That is absolutely correct, but the Tánaiste said in his speech as well that there should be no deal in Syria without the people of Syria. Where is the cry for no deal on Palestine and Gaza without the Palestinians? I hope with all my heart that there will be a deal and there will be genuine peace for the Palestinian people but I fear that this so-called "deal" is just another false dawn for the people of Gaza and also for the people of Palestine.

I will not use the Israeli propaganda of hostages or prisoners; I will use the word "hostages" for both Palestinian and Israeli hostages who are being held. Palestinian children, adults and women, in their thousands, are being held as hostages by the Israelis.

The Israeli Government has broken every deal and every ceasefire with no repercussions. I fear we will see this deal exploited by the Zionist regime to use it as a cover to continue its genocide.

I wish to extend my solidarity to the Global Sumud Flotilla and wish it a safe journey. I want to know if any civilian delivering aid to Gaza is harmed, that the international community will hold Israel to account. Words mean a lot, but actions mean even more.

Conor McGuinness (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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What we are witnessing in Palestine is beyond what we can describe here in words. It is the systematic destruction of a people, of human beings - babies, adults, toddlers and older people. It is the destruction of their homes and their lands, their children, their very future, their dignity and their peace.

There is no denying that it is a genocide and there is absolutely no denying the utter depravity of the Israeli regime and its terrorist IDF at this point. The horror of all this has been enabled by decades of impunity.

The lie that Israel is a normal democracy is long gone, despite its frequent propaganda claims. It is an apartheid state. It ignores international law and it shows nothing but disdain for international human rights norms.

It is a rogue state, a settler colonial outpost and should be treated as the international pariah that it is. Despite all the words from all the Government party representatives here and all the Independent, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael TDs, it still enjoys privileged access to EU and Irish markets. It still enjoys participation in cultural and sporting life internationally and unrestricted travel for its officials and for its military personnel.

Much has been said in this Chamber and internationally about the so-called "deal" on the table. It is not a peace process; it is an ultimatum. It is, as Lloyd George would have said, the threat of "immediate and terrible war". The irony is that war is ongoing in any case. It is an ultimatum to the Palestinian people to give up their people's right to freedom, dignity and self-determination and perhaps the killing will stop, but Netanyahu's own manoeuvring and briefing makes clear what we already know, which is that the Israeli regime has no interest in any genuine deal, peace or a future for the Palestinian people. To add insult to real and grave injury, it is placing this farce under the guidance of Tony Blair, a war criminal whose name will forever be tied to illegal wars, occupations and the mass killing of civilians.

Words are no longer enough. The Government must enact the occupied territories Bill now. The delay is a national embarrassment. The Government should be embarrassed and ashamed by the delay. The Bill needs to include services as well as goods. The Government should enact the Bill but, for God's sake, let us do more. Ireland must impose targeted sanctions and travel bans. We must block the use of our airspace, our seas and our ports for the transmission of munitions and weapons of war to Israel. We must make it clear that any Israeli war criminal who sets foot on our soil will be arrested and brought to The Hague to stand trial for war crimes.

Germany bears a heavy responsibility for the impunity enjoyed by Israel. If Germany wishes to add the guilt of supporting this genocide to its collective conscience, let it. The Germans can knock themselves out. However, we must not let our morals be bound by Germany's willingness to turn the other way and to allow "Never again" ring hollow.

The Global Sumud Flotilla approaches Gaza, as we speak, with food and medicine. If it is attacked and Irish or EU citizens are harmed, the Government must be prepared to respond with immediate political, diplomatic, travel and economic sanctions, decisively and without delay. I ask that they be prepared now so that they can be rolled out immediately. If the European Union, blocked by Germany and other countries, will not take action, we must act unilaterally or with other like-minded member states because we cannot allow this on our conscience.

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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I will reiterate the importance of passing the occupied territories Bill in this Dáil as quickly as possible.

It is important to acknowledge that the constant articulation of the need to sanction illegal Israeli settlements that are a direct threat to the possibility of a two-state solution in the Middle East is paying off. The work done by Ireland, advocacy groups, civil society, political parties and the Government has changed the debate across Europe on this issue. While the EU as an entity has completely failed, individual member states, working alongside Ireland and influenced by us, are taking a similar approach. Slovenia banned goods from the occupied territories in August and last month, Spain banned goods and services from the occupied territories. Indeed, it is now a case that Ireland is not leading anymore; we are actually following in the legislative footsteps of other member states. Throughout this debate, Ministers have emphasised that Ireland should not be acting alone and isolated. It is clear that we are not now and that other member states are working alongside us and I am concerned that this process of finally passing the occupied territories Bill is taking so long. Both Spain and Slovenia acted rapidly as the situation in Gaza has deteriorated.

My other concern is that we do not link the passage of the Bill solely with the genocide in Gaza. The Bill is about stopping the illegal settlements that are a threat to the two-state solution, which is a cornerstone of our foreign policy vis-à-vis the Middle East. An alleged peace plan has been proposed by President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu. From what I have read, it offers very little to the people of Gaza. However, it is important for us to reiterate that even if, as we all want, a ceasefire is declared, the remaining hostages are returned and humanitarian aid is restored, these steps must not be used for a justification here in Ireland to stall the occupied territories Bill. That legislation must pass because, as we know, over the summer over 20,000 homes were given permission by the Israeli Government to be built in the occupied territories.

In the wrap-up to these statements, there are three questions I seek answers to from the Government. Can the Government give a timeline for when the occupied territories Bill will be debated in this House? When will the Government confirm if the Bill will include services? Can the Government also confirm that the Bill will be advanced irrespective of whether there is some sort of ceasefire applying in Gaza?

Séamus Healy (Tipperary South, Independent)
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What is happening in Gaza is the ultimate appalling vista with 65,000 people murdered, including 25,000 children. Every day, on our television screens we are witnessing the deliberate destruction of the Palestinian people by bomb, bullet and starvation. Gaza is now one big concentration camp and 2.3 million Palestinians are facing obliteration and starvation.

In January 2024, the International Court of Justice found that the Palestinian people in Gaza had a plausible right to be protected from the imminent risk of genocide. That ruling triggered obligations under the Genocide Convention to take all possible actions to prevent genocide. Shortly after that, in June 2024, the United Nations international commission of inquiry found that Israel's action in Gaza constituted the war crime of willful killing and mistreatment and a crime against human against humanity of extermination. The International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant for Prime Minister Netanyahu.

Israel is stopping humanitarian aid to Gaza while Gazans starve. That is a war crime. The United Nations last week classified Israel's action in Gaza as genocide. There are strong sanctions on Russia for the war in Ukraine and, last week, sanctions were imposed on Iran. I have no problem with that but what does it take to impose sanctions on Israel, a state that is committing genocide in Gaza?

Famine and starvation are part of our heritage in Ireland. One million Irish people died in An Gorta Mór in the 1840s and 1850s. The devastation of the famine was a genocide of the Irish people by a foreign imperial government. British imperial power allowed our people to starve while exporting shipload after shipload of foodstuffs. In a similar situation, Israel is starving the Palestinian people by stopping thousands of truckloads of food and humanitarian aid from getting into Gaza. This country, because of its colonial past and the Great Famine, has a unique bond with the Palestinian people.

Strong words and condemnation are not good enough anymore. We must immediately impose sanctions, pass the occupied territories Bill on goods and services and stop the passage of military planes through Shannon.

Brian Stanley (Laois, Independent)
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After 78 years of occupation, with Palestinians driven off their land, hounded and subjected to exile, murder, torture and apartheid - the list goes on - in the past 24 months, we have seen levels of depravity never witnessed by my generation. There have been aerial bombardments, slaughter on a scale that words cannot describe, starvation and neighbourhoods bombed out of existence and flattened by the war criminals of Israel. An unknown number of people are buried beneath the rubble. In the West Bank, 700,000 illegal Israeli settlers are living there after driving Palestinians off their land. Over 700 people have been murdered in the last two years by Israeli terrorists in the West Bank. Some 6 million Palestinians are exiled as refugees outside of Palestine.

We now have a peace plan. I have concerns about the peace plan because it was created by the very people who have armed, supported and financed Israel, and have used Israel for the last 78 years as the policeman of the West. I am sceptical, unfortunately, about Trump’s board of peace. It has all the signs of the Western powers trying to maintain their influence and control in the region. I hope it can be turned into a peace plan that works but it needs to be changed. Palestinians must be central to all developments in their own lands. The Palestinian Authority must be reformed and fully involved. The new police force has to be comprised of Palestinians from their own neighbourhoods in Gaza and the West Bank to police the areas with the consent of the people of those areas.

I have concerns about the international stabilisation force. Should it not be a UN force? I ask the Government to raise its voice on that. It is an international stabilisation force but who is it made up of? The Yanks and who else? It is driven by them and controlled by them. We still have a bit of neutrality and credibility left, and we need to use them. I ask the Government to use its voice to ensure that Palestinian self-determination is at the core of all proposals for Palestine and that all possible efforts are made to advance the case for Palestinian statehood.

We say “Yes” to the two-state solution and “Yes” to the release of all hostages, including the Palestinian hostages who are held by Israel in inhumane conditions in Israeli prisons. We must ensure that Israel is brought to the International Criminal Court, particularly Netanyahu and his ministers, who need to be brought to trial for the war crimes they have committed. We must pass the occupied territories Bill here and continue to press for EU sanctions. Like other EU countries, we must move quickly with that Bill and implement those sanctions ourselves, but also at a European level. I ask the Government to use its offices to do that as quickly as possible.

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Solidarity)
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I want to speak about the so-called peace plan. It is not a peace plan. It is a plan for the continued colonisation of Palestine. That is what it is. I think it is shameful that the Irish Government is officially welcoming this plan, and even officially thanking Donald Trump for his efforts to end the conflict in Gaza. It is a plan for the continued colonial carve-up of Palestine - that is what it is - while they hope the global resistance movement will be halted by such a plan.

We look at where this plan came from. It is a peace process. You would expect it to be a negotiation between Israel and Palestine but, no, this plan emerged from discussions between Trump and Netanyahu, between the man who is directing the genocide, and has been for the past two years, and the man who is funding, arming and enabling that genocide. It is crazy. It is the equivalent of Hitler and Mussolini coming up with a peace plan to end the Second World War.

When we look at the content of the plan, and it can be found online, there is no mention of the right of the Palestinian people or people living in Gaza to select their own representatives or to have democracy. No. Instead, there is the installation of Donald Trump, Tony Blair and an obscenely named board of peace as viceroys of Gaza. Tony Blair, the war criminal, the man whose hands are dripping with the blood of 1 million Iraqis, the man who should be rotting in a prison for his war crimes, is instead installed as technocratic dictator, with others, of Gaza. There is the establishment of a special economic zone and a Trump economic development plan to rebuild and energise Gaza; in other words, a rebooted version of the Trumpian Gaza Riviera plan.

And for what? There is no guarantee of the withdrawal of Israeli forces. In fact, Netanyahu has boasted to the Israeli media that, no way, that is not happening and Israeli forces will not be withdrawing. There is just simply a sentence, after lots of other things: “... the conditions may finally be in place for a credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood, which we recognise as the aspiration of the Palestinian people.” It does not even commit to any road to Palestinian statehood. It is another colonial carve-up of Palestine. It is why we need not be lulled into the sense that peace is going to come about. It is not going to be delivered by Trump and Netanyahu. We need to continue our movements. We need to support the flotilla. We need to be on the streets this Saturday. We need to push for workplace action, as we saw in Italy with the 24-hour general strike.

Ryan O'Meara (Tipperary North, Fianna Fail)
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I wish to start by strongly condemning in the most certain terms the brutality that Israel is inflicting upon the innocent people of Gaza. Equally, I would like to strongly condemn in the most certain terms the atrocious acts committed by Hamas, particularly on 7 October 2023. The murder, maiming and unjustifiable terror being waged on innocent people on both sides of this conflict has no place in our world, yet it continues, to the horror of the world looking in. The continuing barbaric, murderous, genocidal Israeli military operations, which have brought unwavering suffering to the people of Gaza, are blatantly in breach of international law and basic humanity. There must be an immediate ceasefire, the release of all remaining hostages and access to unhindered humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza at an unprecedented scale. It is simply wrong in principle and in law to inflict hunger and suffering on a civilian population, whatever the circumstances. The behaviour clearly constitutes a war crime. It is also wholly unacceptable to contemplate the mass displacement of people in Gaza or to talk of permanent occupation. Not only is it an affront to decency and international law, but history tells us that it offers no solution.

Ireland remains convinced that the implementation of a two-state solution is the only way to establish lasting peace and security for Israel, Palestine and the wider region. Ireland must continue its work with international partners and to step up our efforts to achieve that goal. In terms of what Ireland has done to date, the State has intervened in South Africa's International Court of Justice case against Israel under the Genocide Convention.

We have recognised the State of Palestine as a sovereign and independent state and we welcome the fact other states in Europe are now following the lead of Ireland and Spain, in particular. We have provided €95 million in support to the people of Palestine since January 2023, of which more than €79 million has been provided since October 2023. We were the first country to call for UNRWA to remain in Gaza and provided €20 million for that.

I have no doubt that we will look back, and history will look back, with shock and rightful disgust at the delayed response from so many in the West and in Europe, and the actions of the current US Administration and others, and ask how this was allowed to go on for so long. Thousands upon thousands upon thousands of children, women and men have been displaced time and time again. Thousands have been murdered, starved, displaced and chased from their homes and terrorised time and time again. Aid workers and journalists have been killed, hospitals have been levelled, and war crimes and genocide have been committed. Vital aid has been prevented from reaching the people who need it most, those who are being starved. History will judge what has happened in Gaza and in the West Bank and history will not be kind.

A two-state solution is the only solution to this. This country must enact the Occupied Territories Bill. Those who are responsible for war crimes must answer for them. Innocent people in both Palestine and Israel deserve to live in peace, both from the threat of Hamas and the murderous Israeli military. The international community must step up and act now to provide a lasting and real peace. They must prevent further war crimes, murders, killings, displacement and the terrorisation of an innocent people.

Martin Daly (Roscommon-Galway, Fianna Fail)
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I will start with a quote:

What we are doing in Gaza now is a war of devastation: indiscriminate, limitless, cruel and criminal killing of civilians. It's the result of government policy - knowingly, evilly, maliciously, irresponsibly dictated. Yes, Israel is committing war crimes.

They are the words of Ehud Olmert, ex-Prime Minister of Israel. The devastation in Gaza defies human comprehension. Whole neighbourhoods have been flattened, hospitals have been reduced to rubble, healthcare workers and journalists have been targeted, and famine has broken out. This is not the tragic byproduct of war; it is a planned, strategic assault on civilian life and infrastructure in Gaza. Hamas is a terrorist organisation and its attacks on Israel on 7 October were obscene but no crime, however appalling, can justify what has followed. Collective punishment with bombings, shootings and the destruction of vital health and civilian infrastructure, resulting in famine and death, is unlawful and immoral.

Since 7 October, more than 66,000 people have been killed and over 168,000 wounded in Gaza. That does not include many people who are dying in Gaza, mainly children, due to preventable illness and starvation. Many thousands are unaccounted for, entombed beneath the rubble. These are not just statistics; they are families expunged, generations extinguished and people pushed to the existential margins. What we are witnessing is not proportionate, it is not humane and it is not compatible with international law. The destruction of Gaza, brick by brick, together with the relentless spread of illegal settlements in the West Bank, is obliterating the very possibility of a Palestinian state. Let us be clear: this is ethnic cleansing in all but name. This is not simply my view; we have heard from Ehud Olmert and his view. He referred to concentration camps and war crimes. In August 2025, some 600 of the highest ranking ex-military and security officials, including former Mossad chief, Tamir Pardo, ex-Shin Bet chief, Ami Ayalon, and former Israeli deputy chief of the military, Matan Vilnai, wrote to Donald Trump to ask him to intervene and end the war. There is reported resistance, even within the Israeli army, to the continued prosecution of this abomination.

Ireland has not stood silent. While we must not appear to be self-congratulatory in the face of this horror, Ireland was among the first to recognise Palestine as a state, joined South Africa in the International Court of Justice, and has advocated consistently for a stronger international response through the EU and the UN. Today, many others, from Spain and Slovenia to partners across Europe, are following that lead but leadership is not a gesture; it is a responsibility. Futile gestures without consequences are meaningless. The EU must act by carrying out a full review of the EU-Israel trade agreement, seeking real accountability for breaches of international law and insisting unyieldingly that humanitarian aid reaches those who need it. Yet the greatest obstacle remains Israel's own leadership. Prime Minister Netanyahu has not defended Israel; he has diminished it. In tandem with the egregious assault on Gaza, he and his extreme right-wing cabinet members have undermined a two-state solution by enabling and actively encouraging illegal settlements on the West Bank. He will not be remembered as a guardian of security but as the architect of perpetual conflict; the man who extinguished the prospect of coexistence and condemned generations to bloodshed.

Liam Quaide (Cork East, Social Democrats)
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Thank you, Deputy.

Martin Daly (Roscommon-Galway, Fianna Fail)
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The new proposed peace deal is remarkable for the lack of Palestinian consultation. It has been presented as a threat, with obvious equivocation about Palestinian statehood on the part of Netanyahu. It is an anaemic strand of hope for a ceasefire, for the release of all hostages, for humanitarian aid and for the rebuilding of Gaza.

Erin McGreehan (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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To be very straight up, Gaza is not enduring any conflict; it is enduring a genocide. More than 66,000 Palestinians have been killed or murdered, with one in three being children. Families are being wiped out. I find it hard to reconcile the number of mothers who have watched their babies die and the number of babies and children who have sat with their parents who have been murdered alongside them. It is irreconcilable in my mind to think of all that horror and what the children of Gaza are bringing into their futures, if they survive this.

The starvation that is happening is not a consequence of war; it is a weapon of war. It is what Israel is putting down upon them and is wielding to absolutely destroy and break an entire people. Some 14 hospitals are barely functioning. What is most devastating to me is that the world is not stopping this. Countries like Ireland are leading the way but when you think things cannot get any worse, it goes lower. You wonder how bad it can get before the countries of the world stand up and have some sort of morality. I am glad Ireland has led the way. Ireland knows what oppression is, what famine is and what it is to see our land, our voice and our dignity stripped away.

The Taoiseach, Deputy Martin, told the UN that peace is not a slogan; it is a responsibility. I absolutely agree but responsibility without action is complicity. Recognition of Palestine means nothing if in the same breath we trade with a regime that starves the Palestinian people. Recognition of Palestine cannot be a symbolic gesture while we continue business as usual with Israel. If we recognise Palestine's right to exist, we must defend it with more than words. That is why Ireland must, at an EU level, demand sanctions. That means suspending the EU-Israel trade agreement, which rewards apartheid. It means an immediate arms embargo. No Irish company or EU institution should profit from weapons that are raining down on Gaza. It means using every single diplomatic lever we have to push Europe away from complicity and towards accountability. I believe the future of Europe relies on how it reacts and moves on and how it upholds human rights in Palestine. If it fails here, what hope do we have for the European Union in the future?

I have to take a moment to commend the extraordinary bravery of the humanitarian flotilla that is sailing to Gaza at the minute. Ordinary men and women, including colleagues here in the Oireachtas, are risking their lives to deliver food, medicine and hope where governments have failed, and where the world has failed. They embody our conscience and should not stand alone. The world has to protect and support them. Ireland is limited but our voice is not. We must remember that Ireland is not too small. We were never too small to matter. We were not too small to stand beside Africa, we were not too small to oppose the Iraq War and we are not too small to stand with Gaza now.

We must continue to insist on a two-state solution, to insist the people of Palestine have a future and insist that they have their identity and their voice.

The people of Gaza do not ask for pity; they want a future and they want justice. Justice begins in chambers like this and begins by us all talking about it around the world, but with Ireland refusing to look away, standing up, refusing to wash our hands of this, choosing to act, choosing to stand out at the highest level, including at the UN, and speaking about the genocide and the atrocities being rained down on the Palestinian people.

We all know history will record this moment. We will all be judged. We will remember where Ireland stood when the Palestinian people starved and bled. The question now is, when will the rest of the world stand with us?

Joanna Byrne (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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I must start my contribution to these statements on Gaza by mentioning the peaceful Global Sumud Flotilla, our friend and party colleague, Senator Chris Andrews, and all who are on the vital humanitarian mission. In the early hours of this morning, an armed vessel with no lights on approached the flotilla. Those on board the flotilla ships believe that this is an Israeli military vessel that is trying to intimidate them, damaging their communications systems and doing very dangerous manoeuvres circling the lead boats, Alma and Sirius. The flotilla is now on high alert as it is close to the high-risk zone where the Israeli Government has publicly stated it will stop the flotilla. The flotilla is being escorted by one Spanish and two Italian navy vessels, but those Governments have clarified that these are not expected to use military force. The Italians will turn their naval vessels around and return to base.

Now the flotilla is waiting for the Israelis to illegally board the ships, kidnap the activists and bring them to one large navy ship and, from there, to Ashdod port to be deported from Israel. The Israelis may even sink some of the flotilla ships as a punitive measure.

What are the Israelis scared of? The flotilla is only transporting humanitarian aid to the suffering, barely surviving population of Gaza. Food, medicine, baby formula and nappies - that is what Israel is scared of.

Israel has deliberately starved the people of Gaza. As of last week, it has killed over 66,000 Gazans, 217 journalists and media workers, 120 academics and over 224 humanitarian aid workers, a number that includes 179 employees of UNRWA. Independent sources have estimated that 80% of Palestinians killed are civilians. These are all war crimes.

This State, I am proud to say, is on the right side of history in speaking out against Israel's genocide. We have said all the right things but we must follow through with actions. We must pass the occupied territories Bill in its full form. We must press the EU to sanction Israel. Our EU Commissioner must raise this with the Commission. We and the EU must treat Israel as the genocidal apartheid rogue state that it is. Gaza needs us to be their voice as theirs is drowned out by the sound of Israeli bombs.

Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin (Wicklow-Wexford, Sinn Fein)
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Those on board the humanitarian aid flotilla are under clear and present danger as it approaches the coast of Gaza today. Our own Senator Chris Andrews and Barry Heneghan, TD, are on board. We know that Israel has no bottom line - anything goes, basically - and that, previously, it killed nine people on board a humanitarian aid flotilla, so we must act immediately.

Over 20 years ago, I experienced the hospitality of the people of Gaza and the West Bank. It is hard to imagine what may have become of those who warmly welcomed me back then. The unrelenting bombardment, the unimaginable brutality, the psychotic blood lust of a state that is using children's body parts for sniper target practice while they are being deliberately starved - it is like something out of The Hunger Games. I have heard of tanks driving and reversing over heavily pregnant women for sport, doctors being followed home from hospitals by drone systems in order that the Israeli forces can target and blow up their families, and children carrying the emaciated body parts of other dead children on their backs. We have seen stuff that we thought was unimaginable. It is psychotic and it is livestreamed into the palms of our hands. Unfortunately, it has been done with the complicity and the active assistance of the western powers, whether we like to admit it or not. While it has taken a genocide for the Irish Government to start taking meaningful action, we do now have the opportunity to become a leading voice for peace and justice in the world, owing to our own history of genocide, plantation and forced starvation. As Irish people, the attempted eradication of an indigenous people in a colonial land grab, which is basically what this is, is not alien to us.

What can we do today? We need to do all we can immediately to protect the lives of our own citizens, do all we can to get the humanitarian aid into Gaza and enact the occupied territories Bill in full as well as pushing for every form of international sanction that is possible and that we can legally do against this psychotic entity that calls itself Israel. We must act immediately.

Paul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Independent)
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I did not get the opportunity to speak yesterday so, first, I wish to acknowledge the humanitarian work being done by the volunteers on the flotilla, trying to get food and medicine directly to the people of Gaza in the face of starvation, violence and ongoing oppression from the Israeli state. I acknowledge that many of those participating are Irish citizens, as others have said, including our own Senator Chris Andrews and Deputy Barry Heneghan, whom I was honoured to be asked to facilitate by means of providing a vote-pairing arrangement. I wish them the best in their ongoing voyage of hope.

I share others' concerns about what the Israeli state will attempt to do and urge sympathetic elements within that Government and civic society to ensure that the welfare and safety of those seeking to provide humanitarian assistance in a peaceful way is preserved. Obviously, the Israelis like to intimidate. I do not think they would be stupid enough to actually do any real damage, but it is horrific to be subjected to that type of intimidation in the first place, and there is always the risk of something going wrong.

We have the proposal from President Trump, his peace plan. Like others, I can see many flaws in that plan. It is an imposed solution that does not take on board the voice of the Palestinian people, nor, in my view, does it open up any real pathway to self-determination. It does open that chink, but Netanyahu has been trying to close it off. If it is not accepted by Hamas - and we do not know that yet; the signs are not encouraging - it would still in no way justify any renewed attacks by the Israeli state. The genocide has been going on for a considerable time now. You would sometimes wonder what is left to attack, but even though Gaza has been razed to the ground, there are still so many lives at stake.

In that context only, I can see why many people would grudgingly support the plan, I suppose because there is nothing else out there, as a means of immediately halting the ongoing genocide and subjugation of the civilian population. If it is the only deal on the table right now, and while the world is slowly moving to condemn and isolate Netanyahu and his ilk, but too slowly, by recognising a two-state solution we have seen some progress from European partners. Some have come out condemning the genocide, but this pace is glacial. In a sense, it is to Netanyahu's advantage and it is propped up by the US Administration. In that context only, as to what is on the table, I would urge Hamas - it is obviously not going to listen to Irish parliamentarians - if it truly loves its land and its people, to consider the plan seriously, allowing for the fact that there are other violent fundamentalist factions entrenched in the area that would ignore and fight on nonetheless. If Hamas did sign up and release the hostages, it is an imperfect plan but it is the only plan we have right now. I heard with interest my Dáil colleague Catherine Connolly's statement that Hamas is part of the fabric of the Palestinian people. I agree with her in that context - it is absolutely true - but Hamas needs to know, and it has been told in no uncertain terms, including by Arab states, that through its violent actions a number of years back, its adherence to blind ideology, its wish to see Israel obliterated from the map and, most importantly, its cruel and heartless treatment of ordinary Gazan civilians, it is not a credible voice in any future arrangement for Palestine that will allow its citizens to thrive. Yes, it might try to hold on to power, but if it truly loves its own people, it may see the writing on the wall.

There are other voices that need to come to the fore. The way Israel has treated innocent civilians has already, unfortunately, seeded the next generation of fundamentalists who hate Israel and, I would also say, Jewish people in general with intensity. However, there is still a chance for a solution to be found and it will require Europe, in particular, to step up.

For too long, out of guilt and other geopolitical factors, Europe been an apologist for Israeli atrocities in Gaza. I am talking about Europe as an entity and not individual countries like Spain and Ireland in particular. As an entity, Europe has been an apologist for the atrocities, the continued planting of the West Bank with illegal settlers and the perpetuation of a conflict that could have reached some form of uneasy but workable accommodation many years back.

Last week, I attended the Irish launch of an important book, Diary of Gaza Surgeons: A Witness to the Genocide, which tells the harrowing tale of medical professionals working on the front line. Judgment calls had to be made daily about who to try to save and who could not be saved, often in the face of ongoing bombardment and a massive lack of equipment. Many people died unnecessarily. Innovative surgeries were performed by physically and mentally drained medical volunteers using any tools available - even a chisel and a hammer to open a person's chest at one stage - to try to keep people alive. It is a heartbreaking testimony of life in the midst of relentless attacks, especially targeting women, children and the elderly. It is a historical book at this stage because it is from 2024 before the policy of mass starvation by the Israeli regime but it gives witness to so many different voices, not just Palestinian medical practitioners. They mention a letter sent by 99 American physicians, surgeons, nurse practitioners, nurses and midwives to President Biden and Vice President Harris back in the day, which was avoided. They pointed out even then that virtually every child under the age of five had a cough and watery diarrhoea. There were cases of jaundice, hepatitis A infections and malnutrition. In 2024, it led to widespread spontaneous abortions, underweight newborns and an inability of new mothers to breastfeed. This left their newborns at high risk of death given the lack of access to potable water anywhere in Gaza. As those giving the testimony pointed out, many of those infants died. They watched malnourished mothers feed their underweight newborns infant formula made with poisonous water. We can never forget that the world abandoned these innocent women and babies. That was in 2024 and was followed by what happened in the first half of 2025. It is absolutely shocking.

As I mentioned before to the Taoiseach, the Tánaiste and various Ministers, Ireland has played an important role in putting pressure on our EU counterparts. We have done a lot. We need to proceed with the Occupied Territories Bill. If there is any chance of a fresh start, we need to support it and make sure Israel and Hamas support it as well. Regarding the Danish Presidency of the EU, there is the historic situation where Danish Jews were rescued during the Second World War and it feels a strong friendship bond with Israel. As with us and the US, friends should tell their friends the story like it is. Denmark as EU President needs to step up to the mark and be more forthright in calling out Israeli atrocities. Ireland has a role to play in this given our imminent EU Presidency. I congratulate all those taking part in the flotilla and commend the Government on the work it has done to date. We still need to do more because this is literally a life and death situation every single minute.

Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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I welcome the opportunity to speak in this debate. When we were growing up, long before we were in politics, we looked at the news at night and saw the United Nations and said to ourselves, God they are powerful men in suits. We looked at the G7 or the G8 - whatever you want to call it - and said, my God, they are going to solve the problems of the world. To look at the atrocities going on in Gaza at the moment, the UN and the G7 or G8 are standing idly by and letting all this happen. We saw all those guys on television and said they would solve problems because they have power, but they have no power. That is the reality. That is what we have got to face up to. People think they are important but they are not. They do not have the guts to stand up and be counted. In fairness to this Government and especially to all in opposition, we hope the Bill will be brought through shortly. It is good to see some countries in Europe coming on board.

When the Ukraine war started, Europe automatically brought in sanctions and rightly so. It brought in rounds and rounds of sanctions to try to cripple Russia. What have we done to try to cripple Israel's genocide? We have done nothing. Ursula von der Leyen should be ashamed of herself because of the way she has performed as leader of Europe - that is the reality. Sadly, there are a few countries in Europe that still control the European Union and unfortunately we are not one of them. There are a few big countries that nearly decide everything, like we see with the Mercosur deal. It is harrowing to get phone calls from people who would never ring politicians. While they might not understand the whole world of politics, they see children on screens - they have children - and fathers and mothers, people starving, hospitals in bits and no solution. The reality is unless America's deal goes through, there will be no solution now. It shows that America backs Israel. Unless that deal goes through, there will be no other deal on the table. There will be more genocide because Netanyahu does not care for anybody. That is the sad reality.

You wonder what is going on in the world and how we turn a blind eye. Our Taoiseach last week was at the United Nations. A few months ago, we saw what the Taliban did in Syria. There was an earthquake there and I read in the Spanish media - it was not covered in our media - that the men were told they could not pull the women or the children out. That is sickening. When we see someone from Al-Qaeda at that conference addressing something even though they are outlaws, we must ask where is world order and where is respect. Where are people coming together to work to bring peace to the world? The world is in disarray at the moment.

Colm Burke (Cork North-Central, Fine Gael)
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Article 1 of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, which came into effect in 1951, is very clear: "The Contracting Parties confirm that genocide, whether committed in time of peace or in time of war, is a crime under international law which they undertake to prevent and to punish." It is now beyond question that Israel is guilty of committing war crimes in Gaza and that Israel is now committing the crime of genocide in Gaza. Senior Israeli politicians have no qualms expressing publicly the most extreme positions. On Monday, Nissim Vaturi, deputy speaker of the Israeli Parliament said, "We want to remove all the Arabs from Gaza" and the West Bank. He previously referred to Palestinians as scum and subhuman. Earlier this year, he called for the killing of all Palestinian males and has echoes of fascist ideology.

There are several conservative Jewish rabbis who are highly critical of Zionism. They see it as a rejection of traditional Judaism and its values. The oppression and crimes committed against Palestinian people for many decades were not a justification for the Hamas assault on 7 October 2023. What happened on 7 October was not a justification for Israel's two-year assault on Gaza. Hamas was and is a bloodthirsty terrorist organisation. However, we must not forget that for many years Benjamin Netanyahu and his criminal crew supported Hamas as part of its strategy to undermine the Palestinian Authority. Writing in the Financial Times on 23 May, former Israeli Prime Minister Mr. Barak described how Benjamin Netanyahu encouraged and facilitated the transfer of around $1.5 billion from Qatar to Hamas over a period of years.

That was part of a calculated policy to split the Palestinian movement and prevent a two-state solution. In the months prior to 7 October 2023, repeated warnings from their own espionage services regarding a possible major Hamas attack were ignored by the Israeli authorities. Warnings from Egypt in the days immediately prior to the 7 October attacks were also ignored, and in the final hours before Hamas attacked, further warning signs were not fully responded to by the Israeli security services. Even now, in a further twist, Israeli security forces are arming Palestinian militias and criminal gangs opposed to Hamas.

The second anniversary of the attacks of 7 October is next week. During the past two years, Israel has engaged in a sustained campaign of total destruction, carnage, starvation and genocide in Gaza. In a recent meeting, Mr. Herzi Halevi, former chief of staff of the Israel Defense Forces, acknowledged that more than 200,000 people have been killed or injured in Gaza. Internal Israeli intelligence reports indicate that 80% of the casualties are civilians. Approximately 80,000 children have been killed or injured in Gaza in the past two years. Speaking on Israeli television, the former head of Israeli military intelligence, Mr. Aharon Haliva, said that 50 Palestinians must die for every Israeli killed on 7 October and it does not matter if they are children. The deaths were necessary, he said, as a "message to future generations" of Palestinians.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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I am delighted we are having this debate on Gaza. We cannot have enough debates on this matter for as long as the travesty happening there lasts. As one of the older Members of this House, I can remember the atrocities we have seen in the world down through the years. I remember Pol Pot's Khmer Rouge and the 2 million people slaughtered in Cambodia. I remember other, more recent events in Europe: the Croat war, in which 20,000 people were lost, Srebrenica, where 8,000 people were slaughtered, and the upwards of half a million people slaughtered under Assad in Syria. Despite all those travesties, there is something about this particular conflict that has touched the hearts of Irish men, women and children in a way no other conflict has done.

We are horrified by what we see happening. Deputy Fitzmaurice spoke a lot of common sense in his contribution. The public is horrified by the failure of international agencies to take action against the Israelis and provide support to the Palestinian people. I am horrified to think aid was sitting on the border waiting to be delivered to starving people and it was beyond the ability of the United Nations, NATO, the EU or any of the other wonderful and phenomenal organisations we admire, support and, in some instances, subscribe to, to go in and do something to provide food to starving people. Not only am I horrified by the international agencies, but I am horrified by those governments and those supposed leaders who supply support and succour to the monster that is Netanyahu and his Government. The people who have supported him, provided his Government with arms or provided him with any sort of encouragement might as well have pushed the buttons or pulled the triggers that exploded the lives of the men, women and children in Palestine. It is a travesty. We now see the flotilla trying to do something about the situation and raise public awareness. Those participating deserve admiration. I have great admiration for Senator Andrews and Deputy Heneghan for their participation in that effort.

When we look at the Gazan situation, the greatest and longest lasting problem has been the illegal settlements in the West Bank. I have had engagement with successive Israeli ambassadors to this country, most of whom could not understand why Ireland was so supportive of the Palestinian people. They did not understand that our concern was based primarily around the issue of illegal settlements. That is one of the reasons the occupied territories Bill needs to be enacted immediately, as a matter of extreme urgency. The idea that people continue to talk about a two-state solution while the possibility of establishing a second state is steadily and inexorably being eliminated for the lack of space, as Palestinian people are driven out of their homes, the homes demolished and the land taken over, is appalling. Will the international community see the light and let us, please, have peace?

Brian Brennan (Wicklow-Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Let us be very clear: the attacks by Hamas on 7 October 2023 were simply barbaric. However, Israel's response has been called out for what it is, which is simply genocide. There has been the killing of journalists, medics, humanitarians and people of all ages, but the indiscriminate killing of children can only be described as the most horrific crime of our era.

I am lucky enough to be on the foreign affairs committee. We have met stakeholders from all sides, including the ambassador from Palestine, Senator Frances Black and people from the Jewish community, and we dissected everything they had to say. There was one box that was not ticked for me, however, in that I had not met anybody on the ground in Gaza. A few months ago, therefore, I paid my own way to get on an aeroplane to Egypt, where I set up meetings with representatives of NGOs. I went to a fabulous big shopping centre because they felt it would be the safest place to meet me. I sat down with them and discussed what was going on. Number one, they told me that they recognised the work Ireland is doing and, number two, they told me stories of what was happening to Palestinian people on a day-to-day basis. They spoke of a lady living in a tent with her family in what is a concentration camp whose job was to go and get the wood. The job of the father and son was to go and get the food. Many of those fathers and sons never returned. They were living in sweltering heat, listening to bombs morning, noon and night. I said it here yesterday that what I took out of those meetings was how those young people will be in the years to come. They will be angry young men and women. Let us not forget that there is little or no education available to them. The medical system is hanging on by a thread. To grow up in that environment is simply horrific.

At the committee, we asked what the Palestinian people need. Number one was a ceasefire. We do not know what will happen with the proposal currently on the table. All we can do is hope and pray. To make any agreement, as everybody knows, all parties have to be around the table. The second thing they want is recognition. To be fair, the Government, on behalf of the people of Ireland, was one of the first to stand up for the Palestinian people. It was great to be there last week to see 81% of UN members now recognising Palestine. Number three is they want us to look at the EU-Israel trade agreement. This is a huge stumbling block and where we have completely let down the people of Palestine. The EU has to look at itself and we have to look at our position. If we are not strong enough to make a decision on what has happened in Gaza over the past two years, we have a problem.

The last thing was the reconstruction. We can talk about reconstructing properties and medical services, but what about the reconstruction of the young people? Based on my visit there, they will need help. That must not be ruled out.

The very first time I spoke to the Minister of State, Deputy Richmond, was at committee level. I said that how we handle this crisis will define us. I stand over those words today. I ask him the same thing today, as I ask him every day. We took the lead. Let us not take our foot off the pedal.

John Paul O'Shea (Cork North-West, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Deputy.

Brian Brennan (Wicklow-Wexford, Fine Gael)
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It is just too important. It will define us.

Maurice Quinlivan (Limerick City, Sinn Fein)
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Before I start, I extend my solidarity to the people of Palestine at this terrible time for them. What we have witnessed in the Palestinian territories over the past 24 months has been genocide - the wanton destruction of the territories, the murder of men, women and children in the most horrific air and ground attacks, and the blockading of a people. The denial of humanitarian aid to those who need it, including starving people, reminds us of our own Gorta Mór here in 1847. We have seen the denial of journalistic reporting from Palestine and the wide-scale murder of journalists based in Gaza. We have also seen state terrorism inflicted on the most vulnerable population by one of the most advanced military forces, unfortunately supported by America, the world has ever seen. We have witnessed genocide through the deliberate mass displacement of people and the killing of more than 66,000 people, including 25,000 children, which is an average of 2,750 people every month.

The vicious attacks on the Palestinian people have been going on for decades, yet they remain steadfast in their demand for self-determination, including the release of those interned by Israel, which includes the release of Marwan Barghouti, who has been in prison since 2002.

It is my sincere hope that a ceasefire can be declared and that the Israeli army halts its daily murder of civilians, as we see on our TV screens every single night. I also hope that the Israeli hostages currently held by a variety of militant groups in Gaza are released unharmed, and that all Palestinian prisoners are returned to their families.

We have seen a rogue state operate with impunity, yet despite overwhelming firepower, US armaments and political cover, Israel has failed to achieve its stated war aims, including the destruction of Hamas and the release or rescue of the Israeli hostages held in Gaza.

I am conscious that as we speak today, Irish citizens, including our Oireachtas colleague Senator Chris Andrews, are participating in a flotilla of humanitarian aid aimed at breaching Israel's blockade of Gaza. I am also conscious of the Israeli naval commando raid on a flotilla in 2010, in which nine activists were murdered by Israeli forces.

The European Union needs to do much more to pressurise the rogue state of Israel to end its appalling massacre of the Palestinian population. We also need to see the suspension of the EU-Israel association agreement and an end to the unconditional and unqualified support of Israel by the EU Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen.

Domestically, we must pass the occupied territories Bill without further delay. The Bill must include both trade and services. There is no credible excuse to drag this process out any further. We must enact the Bill as a matter of priority. I hope the Government will keep its election commitment to do so.

Ruairí Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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I just went onto the RTÉ website and saw a headline: "Israel issues 'last' warning for Gaza City residents" to flee. Israel Katz followed that up with: "Those who remain ... will be considered terrorists and terrorist supporters." The article states:

The intensification of military operations in Gaza City has forced the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to temporarily suspend operations at its Gaza City office and relocate staff to ICRC offices in southern Gaza to ensure staff safety and operational continuity,

That is what the Palestinian people are going through. The next extract is very well put: "Accepting the plan is a disaster, rejecting it is another, there are only bitter choices here, but the plan is a Netanyahu plan articulated by Trump,". That was said by a Palestinian official familiar with Hamas's deliberations.

Trump has told Hamas it has three or four days to respond. The only person who has come out in absolute support of this 20-point peace plan is Benjamin Netanyahu, who said, "I support your plan to end the war in Gaza, which achieves our war aims." Only bad choices are in front of the Palestinian people at the moment.

The final quote is from the Taoiseach, who said that Israel must "behave within international law" over Gaza flotilla. That is it. The expectation is that they will not. We send solidarity not only to the Palestinian people but also to Senator Chris Andrews and Deputy Barry Heneghan. We dread to think what the IDF has in store for these people, who are literally trying to introduce a humanitarian corridor.

What have we seen in the last while? We have seen 66,000 Palestinians killed. We have seen famine used as a means of war. The only defence is that if they really wanted, they could kill more. One of Netanyahu's intentions, the absolutely criminal one, is to stay out of jail, so on that basis he continues the war. Smotrich and Ben-Gvir have been absolutely clear about what they want, which is a greater Israel and the removal of the Palestinian people from Gaza. They are using starvation, famine and executing children as they await food aid. What can you say about people who are willing to consider this?

Our only hope is that Donald Trump gets a rush of blood to the head and falls out to some degree with Benjamin Netanyahu. This is a very said affair. The only thing that can be done from our point of view is to ensure that pressure is maintained on America and on those powers that have provided weapons to the Israeli war machine. It is absolutely disgraceful. I welcome some of the moves that have been made in Britain and Germany, but they continue to supply weapons. None of this is good enough. We need to enact the occupied territories Bill in its entirety. That means for services and not only goods. We also need to take apart the EU-Israel association agreement.

John Paul O'Shea (Cork North-West, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Deputy.

Ruairí Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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We must do it whether it is by getting a number of countries working together or by getting the EU to do it properly by qualified majority voting. We need to make sure we take the agreement apart because Israel was given a prize it should never have been given-----

John Paul O'Shea (Cork North-West, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Deputy.

Ruairí Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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-----because of what it has been doing since 1948. We are looking at genocide. We have seen the western world absolutely fail. It is an utter disgrace.

Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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Like everyone else in here and like most of the world, we are all outraged by what has been happening in Gaza to the Palestinian people for almost the past two years. It is terrible. It is horrible. No words I can use could capture the wrong that has been done.

I look at the Deputy across from me, from Wexford, Deputy Brennan, who spoke yesterday evening in such an eloquent and heartfelt way about children who are being killed before they even see the light of day. It is so wrong. Growing up as a young fellow, we were told about the terrible things Hitler did. We know he did terrible things, but to my mind what is happening now is altogether worse, if it is even possible to measure such a thing.

We are speaking in this Chamber and we were elected to represent the people of Ireland, and as far as I am concerned, to represent the people of Kerry. The people I talk to every day are so upset and they ask me what we can do. We are powerless in this Chamber. All we can do is talk, but we have to talk. I always believe in saying what is on my mind. I do not go behind the back door to say what I have to say. I do not talk in riddles.

I am very disappointed because I am someone who was brought up to appreciate America - the USA. Two of my uncles, my father's brothers, and two of his sisters, went out there in the late 1950s and early 1960s and they told us about the great country that it was. We are so disappointed with the Administration there now. We could blame one man, Trump, but there is a government and administration there and surely there should be some kind of humanity in those people. They should try to stop what is going on and stop giving them guns, money and whatever they are giving them to keep going because it is so wrong.

A human life is precious, and to think that little children are being blown out of it and are buried under apartments and buildings, it is so wrong, and the rest of the world has to stand idly by and can do nothing to help poor, innocent people. I am so sorry I cannot do anything. I know all of you are disappointed and concerned about it.

We respect those people who went out on the flotilla, and I know they are trying to do good, but my advice to them is not to have any more people go because it is not safe there. They need to understand that. There is no logic in Netanyahu's mind. If he appears in any other part of the world outside of Israel or outside of America, he should be incarcerated and never again let see the light of day. That is how I feel, I feel so badly about him. We always heard that the fine must fit the crime, and you pay according to the harm that you did, but there is no explanation, no understanding and no forgiveness anywhere for what he is doing to poor, innocent people, and they having no place to sleep and them covered in debris and everything. It is horrible. I hope, however long we live, that we never again see anything like this in any other part of the world. Words cannot describe the hurt I am feeling for innocent children, elderly people, mothers and fathers, and the whole lot of them. What is going on is so disgraceful.

Neale Richmond (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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I thank all Deputies for their very sincere and heartfelt contributions to what is, once again, an extremely difficult debate that has taken place against the backdrop of a genocide and a famine unfolding on our television screens or on our mobile phones in our pockets. Let me be clear from the outset: there is no room for ambiguity. The war in Gaza must end. There must be an immediate ceasefire. The unconditional and immediate release of hostages held by Hamas is an absolute imperative. Israel must fully lift the blockade and allow humanitarian assistance at scale into Gaza, delivered by UN agencies including UNRWA and partner humanitarian organisations.

It is a sobering reality that famine has been declared by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification in Gaza City and it is likely to spread throughout the Gaza Strip. The Government has been crystal clear that this is a man-made famine. Forced displacement, destruction of civilian infrastructure and deliberate obstruction of humanitarian aid by Israeli authorities have only compounded the catastrophic humanitarian disaster we see unfolding in Gaza.

The heinous attacks launched by Hamas against Israel on 7 October were reprehensible. We have consistently and rightly condemned the terrorist organisation that is Hamas prior to and since October 7. Hamas has brought nothing but death and destruction to Palestine and Israel.

I welcome the ongoing US efforts to end the war in Gaza. We hope and, indeed, pray that Monday's announcement from the White House is a further step towards the peace that is so desperately needed. In particular, I welcome the sincere engagement of states in the wider region to secure a path to peace and their willingness to work with the US, European and international partners to achieve this goal. There is no such thing as perfection in this situation, but an end to the sheer, bloody slaughter as a first port is certainly something we should all aspire to. Israelis have the right to live in peace and security but so do Palestinians. However, international law limits the use of force in self-defence to no more than what is necessary and proportionate. The Government's position has been clear for some time now: Israel is breaking international law in its military response to the Hamas attack, and it is, in fact, engaging in genocide. International law, including international humanitarian law, is not optional; it is an obligation that must be adhered to.

It is a crying shame that two Members of these Houses have had to follow in the footsteps of other Members of the Houses and joined hundreds of activists from around the world to try to simply break a humanitarian blockade. I have already spoken to Deputy Barry Heneghan today and colleagues have mentioned Senator Chris Andrews. I absolutely respect what they are doing, but it is an utter shame that they have to do it. That is a shame that lands on pretty much the entire western world, and I have no issue saying that, because from a humanitarian perspective, Ireland has provided over €95 million in support for the people of Palestine since January 2023, of which, more than €83 million has been provided since October 2023. This includes €58 million to UNRWA since 2023 to support its programmes in Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, as well as in Jordan, Syria and Lebanon. Ireland will continue to support the Palestinian people, including through UNRWA. I am deeply concerned by the Israeli Government's attempts to smear the good name of UNRWA, including through a propaganda campaign targeting donor countries. I urge the Israeli authorities to rescind legislation banning UNRWA operations in Israel and the occupied Palestine territory, which is having devastating consequences for UNRWA's operations in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem and in Gaza. There is no realistic alternative to UNRWA, which has a mandate from the UN General Assembly.

We have seen scores of Palestinian people come to Ireland both for study but also to receive medical attention. I am extremely grateful to my constituency colleague, Deputy Sinéad Gibney, for bringing in Bushra and Mohammed. Knowing that, while their father has been killed by the Israelis, there are still siblings and children in Gaza, and we will continue to work with all parties in the House to make sure families can be unified in a timely manner. The Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan, is completely seized of their own personal situation. Anyone who took time to speak to Bushra and Mohammed in the Gallery had to have been touched, as any human being would be.

I acknowledge the continuing advocacy from my party colleague, Deputy Brian Brennan, on the need to not forget the horrors we are seeing in Gaza and to be prepared for the rebuilding work. I am extremely grateful for his attendance, at his own expense, not just to meet people on the ground in Egypt, but also at the UN General Assembly last week where he plied a very important parliamentary impact. Beyond that we cannot lose sight of the bigger picture, namely, the enduring need for a comprehensive political solution leading to an independent Palestinian state. A ceasefire is urgent, but a ceasefire alone is not sufficient to end decades of bitter conflict. That is why Ireland is deeply committed to a just and sustainable solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Ireland was an active participant at a conference co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia at the UN in New York in July that was attended by over 130 countries. Ireland was part of a core group of 19 countries that prepared the conference and negotiated the outcome document, the New York Declaration, with subsequent follow-on meeting attended last week at the UN General Assembly by both the Tánaiste and the Taoiseach.

A lasting and sustainable solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict must, of course, include the establishment of an independent and viable Palestinian state, alongside a safe and secure State of Israel. That is why formal recognition of the State of Palestine is not merely symbolic. I am proud of the leadership Ireland showed, together with Spain, Norway and Slovenia, in paving the way for recognition by others, including France and the United Kingdom, as well as Australia, two of which are permanent members of the UN Security Council. Their decision, while delayed, is welcome. We have to welcome it. At times of absolute darkness, we do need to seize the very few chinks of light.

A number of Deputies have understandably and rightly raised the issue of the occupied territories Bill, following the hearings at the Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade in the summer months. As the Tánaiste outlined in his opening address, and has consistently said for the past while, we are absolutely committed to bringing to the House imminently a piece of legislation that is fit for purpose. We have, understandably, talked a lot about international law in these Chambers and making sure that the rule of law is respected. We will ensure a piece of legislation will come to the House, one that all parties will be able to support. Some will say it will not go far enough, and I accept that now, based on their long-held political beliefs or involvement in the boycott, divestment, and sanctions movement or whatever else. I have already received confirmation from my ministerial counterparts in countries such as Spain and Slovenia, within the European Union, and Norway, outside the European Union, that have said if we get this right, they will absolutely copy and paste it. Then we will be able to build a coalition across the western world to make sure the economic gains coming from those occupied Palestinian territories are not allowed to continue.

I would like to use my remaining three minutes to refer to events at an EU level. They are increasingly important over the coming days and weeks. Ireland strongly welcomes the proposals from the European Commission to suspend the core trade related provisions of the EU-Israel association agreement. The package also proposes sanctions on extremist Israeli Ministers and violent settlers as well as Hamas. Ireland supports all of these proposals. In addition, the Commission announced it was putting bilateral support to Israel on hold with the exception of supports to civil society and Yad Vashem. It is important that, while we rightly condemn and castigate from a height the actions of this Israeli Government and regime that is propelling the IDF into Gaza, unleashing pure hellfire on the people of Gaza, there are tens of thousands of people in Israel who oppose this action and are rightly outraged by the actions of their Government.

We have seen them on the streets of such cities as Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and Haifa as well as joining protests in Ireland, representing the community.

The proposals by the European Commission represent a significant step forward. For many in this House it seems like a micro step or mini-step, but those of us who have worked at a European Union level - Deputy Ó Murchú and I have spent considerable time engaging previously - will realise that in European terms, this is quite a large step forward. Ireland has consistently called for the EU to take concrete action in response to the egregious Israeli breaches of human rights and democratic principles. This proposal is an opportunity for the EU to demonstrate to its international partners, and crucially to its 350 million citizens, that it is ready to act in the face of the catastrophic situation in Gaza and to stand up for its core principles and respect for international law. In the next three weeks - I wish it were a shorter period - the entire Irish Government at every level will be working to build a coalition in the European Union to get a qualified majority of member states to vote to suspend elements of the trade agreement and to get to a unanimous decision to introduce sanctions.

I appeal on the floor of the House to all Members. All of us present are part of wider European networks. The left wing group Sinn Féin is part of has been consistent on this and I acknowledge that. Parties in the European Party of European Socialists and Democrats, including the Labour Party, those who are part of Renew Europe, the liberal alliance and with difficulty in my party, the European People's Party, need to work on our networks and our allies to get the qualified majority by 22 October. We have that opportunity and, by God, we have that responsibility.