Tánaiste warns Israel’s war could fuel Palestinian radicalisation as more Irish citizens escape Gaza

Three more Irish citizens have passed through the Rafah crossing from the Gaza strip into Egypt with those remaining expected to be allowed through in the next two days.

The first Irish citizens to escape the enclave since the Israel-Hams war erupted there a month ago crossed into Egypt yesterday as Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Micheál Martin visited the region.

A total of 23 Irish citizens left Gaza via the Rafah crossing on Wednesday, among them were family groups with children.

At the end of a two-day visit to the Middle East on Thursday, Mr Martin warned that Israel’s war against Hamas could fuel Palestinian radicalisation.

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Speaking in Tel Aviv, Israel as he prepared to return to Dublin, Mr Martin said there was nothing to suggest from his talks with Israeli president Isaac Herzog and foreign minister Eli Cohen that the country was willing to step back from the military action, the scale of which has been widely condemned.

“They’ve been consistent and resolute in their approach in terms of dealing with Hamas,” he said of the Israelis.

On the risk of radicalisation in Palestine, he added: “What you’re essentially doing is you’re creating fertile ground for more extreme views to grow and that is a real concern.”

Mr Martin said he could “only speculate” as to what could happen in the context of talks on the release of Israeli hostages being held by Hamas, but added that he had not picked up anything from his meetings with the country’s leaders about any potential change to their approach.

In terms of a fresh push for a political solution to the conflict, sparked by Hamas attacks that killed more than 1,000 Israelis on October 7th, he said “most ideas are at an embryonic stage” at the moment.

“In terms of the Israeli perspective it seems to me that they’re looking at it purely through the military lens right now. And through to their own aim of eliminating Hamas and that is their entire focus, as well as the release of hostages,” he said.

“We have to keep working on this and keep the pressure on in terms of the pressure for the humanitarian dimension to this thing, in the dominant dimension to this loss of life is far too great. And it really simply has to stop.”

Earlier, it emerged that Sara and Ali el-Astal, the young children of Irish-Palestinian man Khalid el-Astal, had been added to the list of people due to travel through the Rafah Crossing. However, they were unable to leave on Thursday due to administrative issues.

The Department of Foreign Affairs confirmed the situation and said it was working to get them out.

A spokesman said an “administrative issue” on Thursday meant very few crossings of dual or foreign nationals could take place at Rafah. “This situation applied to all nationalities,” he said. “We are following up on the relevant authorities on this issue and continue to work consistently so that the remaining Irish citizens and their dependants can leave as soon as possible.”

Mr el-Astal, who is based in Naas, Co Kildare, earlier said his young children would travel to the crossing with his brother-in-law, Mohammed Jendia, who would accompany them to Ireland.

Due to a communications blackout in the Gaza Strip, he said he was is not in contact with his family, but he believes they are in Rafah at present.

A number of weeks ago, Sara (1) and Ali (4) were injured in an Israeli air strike on Khan Younis, but have since recovered. Their mother and Mr el-Astal’s wife, Ashwak Jendia, died from injuries sustained in the incident.

Meanwhile, one of those who crossed into Egypt on Wednesday has expressed concern about where he and his family might live when they return to Ireland.

Ayman Shaheen said he, his wife Suha, daughter Rawan (19) and son Ibrahim (12), would spend 72 hours in Egypt before departing for Ireland.

He told RTÉ's News at One that he had spoken to Irish officials in Cairo and “they will do their best to make contact with the different institutions in Dublin” regarding accommodation. Mr Shaheen added that while the Department of Foreign Affairs was paying for their flights from Cairo to Dublin, he was told they would have to reimbursed for the costs at some stage.

The Irish-Palestinian citizen said on Thursday that they were awaiting his mother, who had not yet managed to make it to through the Rafah crossing. He said he feared she would not make it through the crossing on Thursday, but said he was very happy with the response from the department, who “did their best”.

He said he was experiencing contradictory feelings having left Palestine. He said he was happy to be out of the “nightmare” situation in Gaza, but that it had been devastating to lose family and friends and to leave uncles, aunts, cousins and friends behind.