Motion calling for immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza passed in Dáil

A motion calling for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire to meet the “urgent humanitarian needs of all civilians in Gaza” has been passed in the Dáil on Wednesday night.

The motion, which was put forward by the Government, also says Israel’s right to defend itself from attack must be line with international law and that it had responsibilities in respect of the “basic needs” of the population of Gaza including food, water, medical and energy supplies and called for them to be urgently restored.

The motion was passed by 121 votes to 14.

Sinn Féin had put forward amendments seeking to condemn “Israel’s brutal assault” on the civilian population of Gaza and the “forced displacement of Palestinians” by Israel to the south of Wadi Gaza Line.

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The Labour Party’s amendments included condemning the actions of the president of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, for what it said was her “unqualified support” for Israel and also called for the immediate recognition by Ireland of the State of Palestine.

Amendments from the Opposition parties, as well as others from the Social Democrats, People Before Profit and Independent TDs Catherine Connolly, Thomas Pringle and Joan Collins were defeated.

Additional funding of €13 million for humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian people was announced in the chamber by Tánaiste Micheál Martin ahead of the votes.

Mr Martin also urged European Union and regional partners to “step up now to provide whatever financial support they can”.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar told the Dáil earlier on Wednesday that Israel should turn power and water back on and allow humanitarian corridors be created in Palestine.

Mr Varadkar said the Government condemned unequivocally the bombing of Al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza on Tuesday night, which violated the rules of war and basic humanity and that it “might yet prove to be a war crime”.

Mr Varadkar said the full details of the attack, whether it was deliberate and who it was carried out by, were not yet known and an independent investigation was needed if possible.

Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald said the refusal and failure of the Government and governments across the EU and the world to condemn Israeli violations of international law was “shameful”. She said the destruction of hospitals was “a direct violation of international law” and a war crime.

“We are now bearing witness to human catastrophe on an unimaginable scale,” Ms McDonald said.

The Dublin Central TD said starving people, carpet bombing civilians and the destruction of hospitals was not defence but “an all out offensive assault on a refugee population trapped in the world’s largest open air prison”.

Labour leader Ivana Bacik said there was a need for an independent international investigation to be carried out into Tuesday night’s attack on the hospital which should be done by the International Criminal Court.

Green Party TD Patrick Costello said it had to be remembered that the root of the endless cycle of “barbarity” was the ongoing illegal occupation of Palestine and it would continue until the occupation was addressed.

Mr Costello added that he found it “disappointing” the Tánaiste had not extended his condolences to two young women – Yara and Lara Alagha – who worked in the Oireachtas and lost 10 family members in one night of bombing in Gaza.

People Before Profit TDs called for the Israeli ambassador to Ireland Dana Erlick to be expelled from Ireland.

A number of TDs, including Sinn Féin’s Mark Ward and Mairead Farrell and People Before Profit’s Gino Kenny and Paul Murphy, wore Palestinian scarves as statements were heard on the situation in the Middle East in the chamber.

Earlier, President Michael D Higgins said an explosion at a hospital in Gaza that killed hundreds of people “must be investigated, certainly, as a war crime”,

“It’s very, very important that there will be a reliable investigation as to how it came to be, who was responsible, what the consequences are,” Mr Higgins told reporters in Rome.

Israel has blamed the hospital explosion on a failed rocket launch by Gaza-based militant group Palestinian Islamic Jihad, but Hamas has accused Israel of being responsible.

Speaking in Rome, where he was attending the World Food Forum, Mr Higgins reiterated his “revulsion” over an attack by Hamas last week that killed more than 1,400 people, but said this did not mean there should not be condemnation of the civilian toll caused by Israel’s response.