Gaza killings and aid blockade
Deputy Bacik condemned the killings in Gaza and called for an independent inquiry into the deaths of humanitarian workers. The Taoiseach unreservedly condemned the airstrikes, said the emergency responders were murdered, and backed an independent investigation.
The horrific killing is continuing in Gaza with reports of 29 more people, including several children, killed overnight in Gaza City by Israeli bombardment. The Gaza Strip lies in ruins with no sign of any renewal of the ceasefire. I support the calls for an independent international inquiry arising from the cold-blooded killing of 15 humanitarian workers at the end of March in Gaza who were buried in a shallow grave and found a week later. We should remember that the Israeli military said first that they were militants and then had to change its story after a video emerged of the emergency workers in their uniforms and their clearly marked ambulances which were fired upon. This is yet more evidence of clear crimes against humanity by Israel. We are seeing children, journalists, aid workers and medics all being slaughtered and no humanitarian aid has entered the Gaza Strip in over a month. More than 1 million children have no access to food, safe water, shelter and medical supplies. Will the Taoiseach back calls for an international inquiry into that specific horrific killing of the humanitarian workers? What more can Ireland do to push for aid to enter the Gaza Strip?
Comment on this
First of all, I thank the Deputy for raising the issue. Yesterday, in response to a similar question, I condemned unreservedly the Israeli airstrikes on Gaza. There has to be an independent, prompt and thorough investigation into the killings of 15 emergency responders. As far as I am concerned, they were murdered. The UN Secretary General, António Guterres, tweeted about the matter this morning. I think his words sum it up:
More than a month has passed without a drop of aid into Gaza. As aid has dried up, the floodgates of horror have reopened. It's time to end the dehumanisation, protect civilians, release the hostages, ensure life-saving aid and renew the ceasefire.
In remarks to journalists he also said, "Gaza is a killing field and civilians are in an endless death loop." What is going on here is horrific. It seems that the Israeli government is hell-bent on collective punishment of the people living in Gaza - it has been doing this for a while - but also on making life a living hell for anyone who lives there.