I welcome that a deal to release hostages has been reached between Israel and Hamas. Everyone in this House is hopeful that Emily Hand will be among the first hostages to be released. My thoughts remain with her family at this extremely difficult time. I also welcome the release of 150 Palestinian women and children who have been detained in Israeli prisons. Taking hostages is a war crime but snatching children and babies from their families and using them as hostages is especially despicable. All hostages should be released immediately.

On the other aspects of the deal, Israel should not be congratulated for doing the bare minimum. Ensuring that 2.3 million people in Gaza have water to drink and food to eat is not something praiseworthy. Starving and dehydrating millions of people is a war crime; let us not pretend otherwise. The refusal to allow medical supplies and fuel into the Gaza Strip, which led to the deaths of countless patients, including premature babies, was another war crime. Israel has now said it will stop the bombing for just four days before it resumes the carnage. We cannot allow this slaughter to continue. More than 14,000 people in Gaza, including nearly 6,000 children, have been murdered.

Israel has systematically targeted hospitals. A few hospitals in the south and one in the north of Gaza are just about functional. According to the World Health Organization, none is equipped to treat critical trauma cases or to perform surgery. Before 7 October, there were 36 hospitals in Gaza. Just over six weeks later, the healthcare system has been deliberately obliterated. When medical supplies flow into Gaza, where will the patients be treated? Given that, at the last count, at least 220 doctors and healthcare staff have been killed, who will treat patients?

On Monday, the Secretary-General of the UN, António Guterres, issued a stark warning to the world. He said: "We are witnessing a killing of civilians that is unparalleled and unprecedented in any conflict since I have been Secretary-General." If Israel is determined to continue this barbarism, there must be consequences. I have repeatedly raised with the Taoiseach the issue of economic sanctions at EU level. Last week, he told me that he would get legal advice on whether the human rights clause of the EU-Israel trade agreement has been breached. Has he done that? Will he give a commitment to pursue the suspension of the trade deal at EU level?

Next Wednesday, 29 November, is International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People. It would send a strong message of support and solidarity to Palestinian people if the Irish Government were to recognise the Palestinian state on that day. Spain's Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, who has just been re-elected, has said this is one of his priorities. It is something he intends to pursue at EU level. Will the Taoiseach support those efforts?

I thank the Deputy very much. I join the House in welcoming the news that there will be a four-day ceasefire in Gaza, to be observed by all sides: Israel, Hamas and the other armed groups in the territory. I recognise the role of the US Government and the Qatari Government in mediating this welcome ceasefire. The ceasefire will facilitate the release of 50 hostages being held by Palestinians. We hope this will include Emily Hand. It will also facilitate the release of 150 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel, some of whom are teenage boys imprisoned for little more than throwing stones at armed soldiers.

The four-day ceasefire will allow humanitarian aid to get into Gaza. This will include food, fuel, medicines, water and all the basics needed for human life. Individually and as part of the UN and EU, Ireland will do anything we can to ensure that happens well. It is our view that the ceasefire should not just last for four days and that it should be extended to allow space for a peace initiative to bring a permanent end to violence in the region, resulting in a two-state solution and Israel and Palestine living side-by-side as secure and viable states.

I have sought advice on the human rights clause in the EU agreement with Israel, although it has not yet come back. These things can sometimes take time, particularly where complex legal questions are involved.

On recognition, Ireland has always given Palestine de facto recognition. We recognise its passports, describe its Head of Government as Prime Minister and describe Mahmoud Abbas as President of Palestine rather than President of the Palestinian Authority. We do not give Palestine de jure recognition because we have taken the view that this should only happen when it is actually established and functioning as a state as part of a two-state solution. I appreciate that other countries take a different approach but our approach has always been to recognise the passports, President, Prime Minister and government of Palestine but not to recognise the state of Palestine formally and de jure until it is established, exists and is functioning in the way a normal state would.

We must have a ceasefire, not a temporary pause and the Taoiseach seemed to echo that sentiment. Getting a ceasefire will require pressure on Israel and we have the ability to apply pressure in that way. When it comes to sanctions at EU level, the Taoiseach has said he does not want us to be too far in front because people will not follow him. As it stands Ireland is being outflanked by countries like Spain and Belgium so that excuse is ringing hollow. The Government is also failing to live up to its commitments. The programme for Government commits to recognising the state of Palestine to "protect the integrity of Palestinian territory". Given that Israel is decimating Gaza, it is time for Ireland to formally recognise the state of Palestine. The Government needs to change its approach. We should join other EU countries that have done so to send a message that the Palestinian territory is undeniable and must be protected. If not now, when? Will the Taoiseach show leadership, change his approach on this at EU level and live up to the Government's commitment in the programme for Government?

Sadly, the Israeli Government does not listen to us. I am not sure the Israeli Government listens to anyone anymore. They used to listen to the Americans but I am not even sure that is even the case anymore. As President Biden said, they are at risk of being "blinded by rage". It is a sad reality that I am not sure that any action or statement by us, the European Union or the US will change the course of action they are on.

Sanctions.

Sanctions.

That does not necessarily mean we do not do the right thing, and we have increased our humanitarian aid to Gaza and Palestine. We have provided additional funding to the International Criminal Court so it can fund the investigation into war crimes that may have been committed in the Palestinian territories. We will continue to press the matter at UN and EU levels. As the Deputy knows, when it comes to sanctions, I strongly take the view that if they are done, they should be done on a multilateral basis. The point of sanctions is that they are supposed to do more harm to the country being sanctioned than the country imposing them. That should only be done on a multilateral basis, acting in concert with other countries.