The Taoiseach has called on Israel and Palestinian militants to cease fire immediately, amid the violence, which has left around 200 people dead.
Micheál Martin has said that the “appalling violence” in Gaza on “all sides” must stop as the conflict between Israel and Palestine rages on.
A number of Israeli strikes hit Gaza in the early hours of this morning, with Hamas now retaliating with rockets.
He’s also described the Israeli military response as ‘wholly disproportionate‘
“I have been absolutely horrified at the terrible violence in the Middle East over the course of the last week,” he said on Monday.
“The Irish Government’s position is clear, we call on all sides to deescalate and to stop the violence. The innocent killing of civilians and children is truly appalling.”
Martin added that both the “firing of rockets by Hamas” and “disproportionate response” by Israeli forces “simply has to stop“.
“Whether it’s the indiscriminate firing of rockets by Hamas or the wholly disproportionate response by the Israeli government forces. It simply has to stop,” he continued.”
“The world is appalled as it watches on at the killing of so many innocent civilians. It must stop, and it must stop now.”
Israeli airstrikes in the heart of Gaza City killed at least 26 people and flattened three buildings on Sunday in what was the deadliest single attack since heavy fighting broke out between Isreal and Palestine’s militant group Hamas last week.
The Gaza Health Ministry said 10 women and eight children were among those killed in Sunday’s attack, with another 50 injured.
At least 174 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza thus far including 47 children and 29 women, meanwhile, 1,200 have been injured. Eight Israelis have also died, including a five-year-old boy and a soldier.
A message on the appalling violence in the Middle East. pic.twitter.com/0JcYYpLU9e
— Micheál Martin (@MichealMartinTD) May 17, 2021
