The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Micheál Martin this evening condemned the Israeli air strike on two United Nations-run schools in the Gaza strip which resulted in the deaths of at least forty people including a number of children.
Mr Martin said he was appalled by the "indiscriminate attack" by Israeli air forces which has resulted in so many civilian fatalities, "including of children, who were simply sheltering from the conflict taking place around them".
He said that the death, suffering and "humanitarian deprivation, now being inflicted on the people of Gaza" could not be justified "and must now be brought to an immediate end."
He extended his condolences to the families of the victims and to the United Nations staff involved.
"I know from my continuing contacts with UNRWA (UN Relief and Works Agency) and its Irish Field Director, John Ging, to whom I have spoken today, of the incredibly difficult environment in which humanitarian organisations are now forced to act and of their very real fears that a major humanitarian catastrophe will unfold in Gaza if the current violence does not end soon," Mr Martin said.
He appealed for an immediate cessation of all violence in and from Gaza and for the putting in place of an effective and sustainable ceasefire and the facilitation of urgent humanitarian access.
He said the international community "must re-double its efforts to halt the carnage now taking place in Gaza. Ireland will continue to work closely with our EU and international partners to achieve the earliest diplomatic resolution of this crisis."
Amnesty International has urged the UN Security Council to demand that Israel, Hamas and Palestinian armed groups observe an immediate truce in Gaza "to allow desperately needed humanitarian assistance to the beleaguered civilian population, evacuation of the wounded and safe refuge for civilians wishing to flee the conflict zone.
"Civilians in Gaza are trapped in an unfolding humanitarian catastrophe, and need immediate respite," said Malcolm Smart, Director of Amnesty International's Middle East and North Africa Programme.
"It is abundantly clear that the parties to this conflict are failing to respect international humanitarian law, and that the civilian population of Gaza is paying a very heavy price," he said.
Approximately 300 people gathered outside the Israeli Embassy in Ballsbridge with demonstrators calling on the Government to break sever diplomatic ties with Israel.