Tánaiste Michael Martin has called for a ceasefire in the Middle East to allow humanitarian aid to be delivered to Gaza after what he called a “enormous” loss of life, reports RTE.
“The suffering of innocent civilians, particularly children, is on a scale that requires an immediate cessation in our view, and the provision on an accelerated and comprehensive scale of water, food and medical supplies,” he told reporters on arrival at a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Luxembourg this morning, reports RTE.
Mr Martin said it was important to maintain a humanitarian and political direction as this would provide the necessary security.
“We understand Israel’s need to deal with Hamas because it was an appalling attack [on 7 October], but the degree of suffering now, that innocent civilians in Gaza are suffering, is just not acceptable. That’s why we believe a humanitarian pause is required to, at a minimum, get aid and supplies in there,” reports RTE.
Mr Martin said Iran will argue that it has no influence over Hezbollah or Hamas in Lebanon.
“The world views it differently and is of the opinion that they do.”
He said: “Lebanon is in no situation to withstand a conflict at this stage, given the perilous state it already is in, economically and socially. So it certainly can do without a war and civilians and young people lose in a war. And that is something we must all keep uppermost, so there is an absolute imperative to avoid regional escalation here,” reports RTE.
EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell also called for the rapid delivery of aid to Gaza and said the bloc was debating calls for a “humanitarian pause” in Israel’s conflict with Hamas.
“What’s important (is) more, quicker, and in particular to enter the basic things that make water and electricity supply being restored,” Mr Borrell said, ahead of the meeting, reports RTE.
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