Tánaiste ‘horrified’ by events unfolding in Rafah

Cate McCurry, PA

Tánaiste Micheál Martin has said he is “horrified” by events unfolding in Rafah, describing the levels of violence as “unconscionable”.

Israel has threatened to launch a full-scale assault on the southern Gaza City.

More than one million civilians are sheltering in Rafah after evacuating other parts of Gaza amid Israel’s war in the region.

The Israeli military seized control of Gaza’s vital Rafah border crossing on Tuesday.

On Wednesday, Israeli troops said they had reopened the Kerem Shalom crossing into Gaza – a key terminal for the entry of humanitarian aid that was closed nearly three days earlier after a Hamas rocket attack.

Mr Martin said he was “really horrified” with the events.

Speaking at the Arbour Hill commemoration event, he said: “It’s quite shocking, the level of human suffering.

“The civilian causalities, death and very serious injuries on a daily basis are (endured) by the people of Gaza.

“The taking of the Rafah crossing, for example, creates huge challenges for humanitarian aid getting into Gaza.

“I have seen myself the amount of aid has been stopped already. There is an urgent need for medicines, for food and for the basics of life to get in for the people of Gaza.

“It’s only unconscionable that this level of violence continues.

“We need an immediate ceasefire and the release of all hostages, and then we need discussion on the political track on how Gaza is reconstructed because what the people have gone through there is quite horrific, and it is shocking and unacceptable, it has to stop.”

On Wednesday, protesters from the Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign gathered outside Leinster House in support of the hundreds of thousands of Palestinians in Rafah.

Demonstrators waved Palestinian flags and called for Israel not to invade Rafah and to impose sanctions against Israel.