Lisa Chambers (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Tánaiste. This issue has gripped all of us for the past two weeks. What we are witnessing in the Middle East and in Israel and Palestine is absolutely appalling, horrific and a black mark on humanity. The deaths of huge numbers of innocent civilians - babies, young children, Holocaust survivors and the elderly – in Israel and Palestine makes for huge grief and sadness across the region and across the globe. It is impacting Palestinians, Israelis and Jewish people everywhere. We see the closure of schools in London and New York and the increase in security for Jewish communities in Ireland as well. There are huge ramifications beyond the Middle East.

The brutal attack by Hamas on Israel on Saturday, 7 October cannot be brushed past or washed over; e cannot simply move on from that. What happened on that date was absolutely barbaric. It is difficult to imagine how one human being could perpetrate such acts of violence on another. I refer, in particular, to the scenes we witnessed involving young babies and children.

It is important to point out that Hamas does not represent the Palestinian people. It is a terrorist Islamic organisation that is intent on wiping Israel off the map. It is difficult to negotiate with. However, the impact on the Palestinian people in the context of response to what happened has been equally horrific. Thousands have already lost their lives and many are maimed, injured and will grieve forevermore.

The point is well made by many in this House and the Tánaiste that Israel can only act within international law. The rules of war exist to preserve humanity in its darkest days. Even in war we have rules. Israel will have to account for its actions and it made clear that it knows this. It will have to account for its actions and how it retaliates. I appreciate and understand the difficulty. How would we react if somebody invaded Ireland, murdered 1,400 of our citizens and took 200 of our citizens hostage? It is difficult to show restraint in those circumstances but that is what we expect of a democracy and a country that wants to adhere to international law.

I welcome the Tánaiste’s announcement yesterday of €13 million in aid to Palestine to help on the ground. I also welcome the developments that appear to have been brokered by US President Joe Biden to ensure that an aid corridor opens up. This is absolutely crucial.

I utterly condemn the attack on the hospital in Gaza. As the Tánaiste pointed out, it is important that we gather the full facts as to what exactly happened. However, the point has been well made previously that health facilities, doctors, nurses and medical personnel are protected under international law and should never be the target of ammunition.

Ultimately, we want to see a humanitarian ceasefire and we need now to prioritise and focus on getting the basic supplies to people in Gaza – food, water and fuel. I watched footage yesterday of a family in Gaza, some of them Irish citizens, who are trapped there. Ninety of their extended family members and friends are living in one building, with water supplies running low. There are approximately 30 children in that one house. That is the dire situation that those families are in on the ground.

Ultimately, our call from the Seanad and the Oireachtas is for a humanitarian ceasefire, the opening of aid corridors, preservation of innocent civilian lives and a de-escalation in the region. We wish the Tánaiste well in his work in that regard, as well as the EU. It will take all of us – the EU, the US and those in the Middle East – to come together to sit around the table to try to find a solution to this issue.