Ireland horrified and revolted by death and destruction in Gaza
Irish Sun Friday 1st August, 2014
• 72-hour ceasefire takes effect 8am Friday local time, agreed to by all sides
• Irish foreign minister says he shares horror and revulsion of senators and Irish citizens
• Ireland maintaining contact with Israel, Palestinians and United Nations
DUBLIN, Ireland - Ireland has expressed its "horror and revulson" at the unfolding death and devastation in Gaza.
Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Charlie Flanagan briefed senators on Thursday on his ongoing engagement with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, the Egyptian Foreign Minister and the Director General of UNRWA.
After 23 days of hostilities at least 1,452 Palestinians have been killed, and 8,360 wounded, according to Gaza Ministry of Health spokesman Ashraf al-Qudra. The figures, said the spokesman, include 327 children and 166 women.
The adoption of a 72-hour ceasefire, to take effect Friday followed the death of five Israeli soldiers on Thursday after a mortar shell hit their patrol. Two Israeli civilians and a Turkish worker have died so far and 61 Israeli soldiers.
On Thursday the death toll of Palestinians surpassed that of the devastating Operation Cast Lead in 2008/9, while the number of Israeli soldiers is now ten times the number killed in that war.
"I fully share the horror and revulsion of senators and very many of our citizens at the horrendous scenes we have witnessed since the start of the Israeli military operation," Flanagan said on Thursday at a special debate in Seanad ireann. "This is a truly appalling situation and the Government has been quite categorical in condemning both the unacceptably high civilian casualty rate resulting from disproportionate military action on Israel's part as well as the firing of rockets by Hamas and other militants into Israel."
"Earlier this week, I spoke at length with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon about the crisis. I condemned the appalling attacks which we have seen on UN and civilian facilities in Gaza and we agreed that both sides have to cease violating international law. The Secretary General was also fulsome in his praise of the Irish Government's humanitarian efforts to date."
"On Tuesday, I spoke directly with Pierre Krahenbuhl, the Director General of UNRWA, to receive his assessment on the current humanitarian needs within Gaza," Flanagan said. "Ireland has long been a steadfast supporter of UNRWA's efforts to provide essential services to the millions of Palestinian refugees throughout the region. Ireland's direct financial support to the Palestinian people currently amounts to over 10 million per annum."
"I have met and spoken on several occasions with the Israeli Ambassador to make clear the very grave concerns and unhappiness of the Government at the disproportionate military response of Israel to Hamas' rocket attacks which has resulted in such an unacceptably high level of civilian casualties and warning against further escalation," the minister said.
"On my instructions, the Irish Ambassador to Israel, Eamon McKee, yesterday visited the Israeli Foreign Ministry. In the course of a lengthy meeting, he again made clear the Government's very grave concerns and our particular appeal that there should be no escalation of the military campaign underway and the need for all violence to cease forthwith."
"I have also kept in very close touch with the Palestinian Ambassador and spoke this morning with Egyptian Foreign Minister Shoukry," Flanagan said. "I am determined that Ireland will continue to play the distinct and respected role which it always has within the EU in actively seeking the promotion of the two-State solution which ultimately offers the only remedy to all the conflict we are witnessing."
On Friday all parties to the conflict agreed to a 72 hour ceasefire, in effect from 8am local time Friday. During the 72 hours attempts will be made by Israeli and Palestinian delegations in Cairo with Egypt hosting mediation talks.

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