Neale Richmond (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Senator Andrews took the words out of my mouth. The Lord knows what has befallen most of those children since. I know everyone in this House has a personal commitment, some for different periods and others in various regards.

In recent months, more than 54,000 people have been killed, more than 123,000 injured, and 90% of the population has been displaced, some up to 13 times. When we speak about the 123,000 who were injured, we are not talking about cuts and scrapes. We are talking about catastrophic injuries that cannot receive the level of treatment, rehabilitation or required level of care in this situation. We continue to witness appalling scenes from Gaza every night on our television screens. The renewed offensive in Gaza and plans to establish full control of the Gaza Strip are not just alarming, they are illegal and worrying and, to be quite frank, morally depraved.

Let me also be clear in my condemnation of Hamas, for its terror attack on Israel, for continuing to keep hostages in captivity, and for the death and destruction it has brought to Palestinians and Israelis alike. The humanitarian situation in Gaza in particular is truly horrific. While there has been a limited restart of humanitarian aid into Gaza, the understatement of the century is that this is clearly insufficient. The obstruction of lifesaving aid by Israel is a violation of its international obligations. Israel decided on 4 May that it would take control of the distribution of humanitarian aid as a condition to lifting its blockade. The UN has described this as unacceptable and "designed to further control and restrict supplies". The UN relief chief, Tom Fletcher, has called it a "cynical sideshow". Ireland and the European Union have been clear that the use of humanitarian aid as a tool of war is prohibited under international humanitarian law. The effectiveness of the UN and the delivery mechanisms of humanitarian aid, in particular by UNRWA, was clearly proven to be the best available system during the ceasefire from 19 January until Israel's unilateral decision to block all aid supplies into Gaza on 2 March.

I welcome that the EU High Representative, Kaja Kallas, issued a joint statement with Commissioners Šuica and Lahbib earlier this month, stating that the new mechanism "runs counter to humanitarian principles, as underlined by UN agencies and humanitarian partners". I also reiterate that there can be no forced displacement of the civilian population in Gaza nor occupation of the Gaza Strip by Israel. This was made clear by Ireland and other EU member states at the EU-Israel Association Council in February.

Ireland has provided more than €87 million in support of the people of Palestine since January 2023. Of this, more than €75 million has been provided in humanitarian assistance in response to the suffering caused by the conflict in Gaza since October 2023. This includes €58 million for UNRWA since 2023 to support its programmes in Gaza and the West Bank. I know these statements are on Gaza but it is important that we also refer to the situation in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, as well as in Jordan, Syria and Lebanon, which are also equally horrific. We have been steadfast in our defence of UNRWA at EU level. While several EU countries halted their funding to the organisation, putting it at existential risk, instead we contributed an additional €20 million. We have been clear that there is no realistic alternative to UNRWA - that it is the backbone of the humanitarian response in Gaza and the main provider of education, health and social services in Gaza. Its work is irreplaceable for millions of Palestinian refugees in the region, particularly in the current context in Gaza.

We have also been providing humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza through other agencies, including the World Food Programme and the Red Cross and Red Crescent societies. Through Ireland's rapid response initiative, 116 tonnes of relief supplies, including family tents, tarpaulins, blankets, water cans and hygiene kits have been provided. There are currently two consignments of humanitarian aid in Jordan awaiting entry to Gaza. Both consignments had received approval to enter Gaza but were unable to do so following the imposition by Israel of the blockade. We are talking about tarpaulin, which people need to use in place of the house or apartment they were living in a matter of months ago. At this point, we are not allowed to send truckloads of tarpaulin, basic medicines and food into the Gaza Strip. Debates outside this Chamber and jurisdiction lose focus on the sheer basic necessities for life that are being restricted.

In February 2024, Ireland and Spain wrote to the President of the European Commission requesting an urgent review of Israel's compliance with humanitarian obligations under the association agreement. Since then, the situation has become immeasurably worse. Ireland has deliberately led on this issue. We welcome the growing number of EU member states who now also support a review of Israel's compliance with these obligations. I also welcome last week's announcement that the EU will conduct a review of the association agreement with Israel. I attended this meeting on behalf of the Tánaiste and spoke strongly in favour of the EU taking this step. This is an important decision reflecting the grave concerns held by member states on the ongoing military operations by Israel and the limited restart of humanitarian aid entering Gaza. As the death toll in Gaza continues to rise, the EU must use all levers at its disposal with the urgency the situation demands.

I will go off script, for the want of a better description, and give a little bit of information to this House. Those who were present at the foreign affairs committee under Deputy Lahart's chairmanship earlier in the week will have heard me go into this detail. Senator Lynch referred to shifting EU opinion. It is important to focus on the fact that when Ireland and Spain tabled a review, given that it is blatantly obvious to anyone with eyes and ears that human rights abuses are going on in the Gaza Strip, only two member states supported it. Last week, 17 member states supported taking such a step, an increase of 15 over the course of a bloody horrific year that has seen tens of thousands of people killed in the Gaza Strip. That is very important.

I appreciate what Senator Stephenson said about it being time to stop hiding behind the EU. I do not necessarily accept that we are hiding behind the EU, but there are opinions in other EU member states to an extent that she and I, and anyone in this Chamber, would simply not recognise that the situation being discussed is the same one we know and care so passionately about.