Violence and loss of lives in Gaza not acceptable, says Flanagan

The violence in Gaza and its cost to civilians was not acceptable, Minister for Foreign Affairs Charlie Flanagan told the Dáil.

He said that on taking office he had issued a statement calling for an end to firing by both sides and a restoration of the truce. “All Israelis and all Palestinians have the right to live in peace and security without a constant threat of violence.’’

Mr Flanagan said his predecessor, Eamon Gilmore, had made a similar statement on the Government's behalf last week. Mr Gilmore, he added, had spoken directly to the Israeli and Palestinian ambassadors and asked them to convey urgently to their authorities Ireland's considerable concerns and the need for an urgent de-escalation of the crisis.

Military operations

Mr Flanagan said he was encouraged by the proposal from the Egyptian government for a ceasefire to come into effect and by the acceptance of the proposal by

Israel

, which then halted its military operations for a number of hours.

"Regrettably, missile attacks from Gaza into Israel did not cease and attacks in both directions are now continuing. There is no indication yet that Hamas is disposed to accept a ceasefire.''

Padraig Mac Lochlainn (SF) said there was a growing outrage across the world at the escalating death toll in Gaza. With a population of 1.8 million Palestinians, it was essentially an open air prison.

“It is a community of people who are dispossessed, moved away from their homeland for decades. They have had to endure that profound injustice but, once again, they are under onslaught.’’

Mr Mac Lochlainn said over 200 people had been killed in recent days, 80 per cent of whom were women and children.

“All of us have seen the horrific images coming in every day and almost every hour. I could tell the Minister many stories but the worst has to be the entire family of the Gaza police chief, 19 people, wiped out.’’

Clare Daly (Ind) said she stood in solidarity with the peoples of Palestine and Gaza, and expressed "a public condemnation of the ferocious and unwarranted massacre being perpetrated against those people by the Israeli state".

Mick Wallace (Ind) said over 300,000 Palestinians had been asked to move, or had been displaced, in preparation for an imminent attack. "What is happening right now amounts to a massacre, not a war.''