Fiona O'Loughlin (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for being here. I acknowledge the presence of Deputy Lahart, who is Chairperson of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade. I thank the Tánaiste for being here. I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Byrne, and the Taoiseach for their leadership on this matter across the world. I stand here on behalf of my party, Fianna Fáil, thinking of the 54,000 dead in Gaza, their families and their friends. On average, ten children per day lose at least one limb. Imagine the impact of that on their future lives, if they have a future, that is. I think of those toiling to save the injured in horrific circumstances but, most of all, I think of Dr. Alaa al-Najjar, who, as she was working to save and heal her neighbours, this week heard of the devastating and unthinkable news of the death of nine of her ten children. Her family was practically wiped out in one fell swoop. Gaza is truly a hell on earth. It is a holocaust by any other name.The horrific, heinous and barbaric events of 7 October will never be justified and should never be forgotten. However, what followed afterwards must and will forever rank as the most punitive and disproportionate military attacks by a sovereign state in modern history. Israel must know the world is watching. That is why it is important to have these debates in our Houses. As helpless as we all feel, we just cannot stand idly by. We must demonstrate, in every single way we can, our abhorrence at the murder and maiming we see on a daily basis.

We have already shown leadership in this country by consistently advocating for a two-state solution and by calling over the last 12 months for a review of the EU-Israel association agreement, which, finally, Kaja Kallas has agreed to call for. This needs to be acted on quickly, and the conclusions need to be implemented. We need to enact the equivalent of the occupied territories Bill before the summer. I acknowledge the excellent work Senator Black has done in this area. I absolutely commend her on that.

The ceasefire and hostage release deal agreed in January brought hope, which was all too soon dashed, to both Israelis and Palestinians. The Fianna Fáil Party absolutely supports the Government's call to return to talks aimed at immediately agreeing another ceasefire and hostage release deal for the few who remain. I acknowledge that the Government has consistently called for the unconditional release of all hostages held in Gaza and for the immediate resumption of the desperately needed humanitarian aid and adequate humanitarian aid to Gaza. There is no doubt that we are witnessing in real time on our screens, be that a television, phone or iPad, or in the newspapers a humanitarian catastrophe of staggering proportions. In Gaza, every day, we see homes reduced to rubble. We see children pulled lifeless from beneath concrete slabs. Hospitals are overwhelmed, many of them targeted. A population, half of whom are children, are trapped with nowhere to run, no safe corridors and dwindling hope. The cries from Gaza today are as deafening as they were in October two years ago. We have to listen, and we have to act.

Young children growing up in Ireland today and all over the world laugh and play. We all have children in our lives, whether they are ours, our nieces and nephews, neighbours, friends or in the community. A common question is, "What are you going to do when you grow up?". The children in Gaza may play a little, but they do not laugh anymore. They do not talk about what they are going to do when they grow up because to actually survive would nearly be a miracle. Imagine the lifelong consequences for those children - the trauma and loss, their futures stolen before they have begun.

Many years ago, as a child, I was given this book - I have the date of 1977 on it - the diary of Anne Frank. I remember as a child reading it and asking the adults in my life how this happened, and the answer always was that the world did not know this was happening. Today, however, the world knows. Being fascinated by it, in my late teens, I went to concentration camps and when I was 23, I went and lived on a kibbutz for six months in Israel. It was 6 miles from the Gaza Strip. Palestinians worked in harmony with the Israelis on this particular kibbutz, which was called Kibbutz Yad Mordechai. I met and befriended Palestinians - men and women with families, hopes, humour and humanity. I sat at their tables and drank tea. Those friendships shaped me deeply and informed me. They remind me now that no child is born to hate. The cycle of violence and bloodshed must end. This is also very clear in Colum McCann's book, Apeirogon, which tells about the perspective of two fathers who both lost daughters, one on either side of the conflict. They travel the world telling their story, trying to bring about hope. Countless families, Israelis and Palestinians alike, have lost loved ones. Children are killed in their sleep. Parents are mourning in ruins. There is absolutely no justification for this scale of suffering. Ireland is a small country, but we have a significant voice and a significant global footprint to advocate for peace. We must continue to use this footprint to raise awareness for the plight of the people of Gaza. We need justice for Palestine, and we need hope. Hope got us through our own occupation. It is hope that brought about peace in Northern Ireland. We must make the case for hope in today's world. We must raise our voice. We must demand an end to the bloodshed. We must call for an immediate ceasefire, full humanitarian access and an international commitment to peace rooted in justice. Let us be clear; this is not about taking sides. It is about taking a stand against genocide and a stand for humanity, law and peace.