Palestinians living in Ireland have responded to the news of an initial peace plan for Gaza with a mixture of scepticism and cautious optimism, insisting Israel is held accountable for war crimes.
There were also mixed feelings in Israeli and Jewish communities. Ireland’s Chief Rabbi Yoni Wieder said “after so many dark days, today the world feels a little bit brighter” but, he added, “this is only the beginning” in terms of achieving peace and security in the region.
Halla Alsourani, who came to Ireland last year with her daughter, is struggling to believe the reports of a peace deal. She managed to contact her mother on Thursday morning, who is still based in Gaza, and said the bombing has continued.
“I don’t trust them with this deal – the Israelis kill us, they kill our children, how can we trust them?" said Ms Alsourani, a niece of international human rights lawyer Raji Sourani.
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Mr Sourani, the director of the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights, said a ceasefire could not be guaranteed unless those responsible for genocide and famine in the besieged strip are held accountable.
“There will not be peace without accountability for the genocide and atrocities committed consciously in daylight,” he said. “Gaza should not to be the graveyard of international law, it should be an example of justice and dignity where criminals are held accountable.”
Ms Alsourani’s husband and five-year-old daughter were killed in a bombing one month after Israel launched its offensive on Gaza following the October 7th attacks in 2023, when Hamas killed nearly 1,200 people and took 251 hostages, according to Israeli officials. Israel’s campaign in Gaza has killed more than 67,000 Palestinians, mostly civilians, according to Palestinian health authorities.
“I only have two reasons for living now, my eight-year-old daughter who is here with me and fundraising and sending money to people still in Gaza. But it’s mainly my daughter keeping me going.”
Tamar Nejem, a Palestinian writer and poet who moved to Ireland in September 2023, but whose parents and brothers are still in Gaza, described the news of the peace deal as “overwhelming”.
“I’m not being pessimistic or optimistic, I’m being realistic. Every victory is painted with blood, Palestinians can still see the burning bodies in their minds.”
Ms Nejem, who taught English in Gaza before moving here, says the “hardest chapter” for the Palestinian people begins now. “It all becomes real. We’ll realise what we’ve lost, we will have time to grieve. Gaza has been left like a graveyard; it’s like leaving someone without a soul. I lost my grandfather, my aunties, and most of my students. I recently went through the contacts in my phone and had to erase about 50 names; they’re all dead. And that makes you overwhelmed and angry.”
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Duaa Ahmed, a teacher who moved to Ireland three months ago to pursue a master’s degree in Limerick, left behind her two sons, husband, and mother, who were recently evacuated from northern Gaza and are now living in a tent. “When I finally reached my family on the phone today they told me they’re afraid ... My sons are witnessing bombings and starvation, how do you explain that to a child? We just hope this time is different, hope is all we have.”
Palestinian ambassador to Ireland Jilan Wahba Abdalmajid said she hoped the first phase of the peace deal would “end this genocidal war” and also called for accountability for war crimes committed by Israel.
Meanwhile, Chief Rabbi Wieder welcomed the reports of agreement on a ceasefire in Gaza. If the agreement is upheld, “there will finally be an end to the war and to the suffering of so many. At long last, the hostages will begin coming home. Back into the arms of their families, where they belong. This is the moment we’ve been longing for two agonising years,” he said.
But, he noted, “this is only the beginning. The hardest work still lies ahead to bring an end to the barbaric rule of Hamas and its jihadist ideology.”
He continued, however, that “today gives us hope that our dream of lasting peace may yet be achievable – cautious hope, but hope nonetheless.”
Jewish Representative Council of Ireland chairman Maurice Cohen gave a cautious welcome to the deal: “There remain many unresolved details, and implementation and verification will be crucial in the days ahead”.
[ Gaza ceasefire in effect after hostage deal, says IsraelOpens in new window ]
He also noted, “this development brings long-overdue relief and hope to the families who have endured unimaginable pain. It must also mark the beginning of a sustained effort to ensure that every remaining hostage is safely returned and that violence does not resume.”
On behalf of the council, he called “on all governments and international partners to support humanitarian relief, protect civilian life, and work toward a durable peace rooted in security, justice, and coexistence”.
The council, he said, “remains deeply mindful of the trauma carried by the victims and their families and Jewish communities worldwide. We urge all in Ireland to stand firmly against anti-Semitism and hatred in all forms.”
