Rafah attack catastrophic says Martin

THE Tanaiste has said a ground invasion in Rafah would be “absolutely catastrophic” as he called on the EU to review if Israel is complying with human rights obligations in its trade agreement with the bloc.

Speaking ahead of a meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council yesterday, Micheal Martin added everything possible must be done to pressure the Israeli government not to send the military into southern Gaza.

Mr Martin, who is also Foreign Minister, told reporters in Brussels that Palestinian families are going through “immense suffering” in Rafah.

He said: “We’ve over one-and-a-half million people crowded into a very small corner of Gaza.

“They’re weary, they’re exhausted from moving from the north to the centre and on to the south of Gaza. They have nowhere else to go. There are thousands of children who have been without school for months.

“The trauma that they have gone through is extraordinary.

“How could anyone contemplate adding to that trauma?

“That is beyond me, it is simply an inhumane act.”

Mr Martin also said that all hostages taken by Hamas on October 7 should be released, adding it was “unconscionable” that they have been held for so long.

He added: “Hamas should lay down its arms. What Hamas is doing is absolutely unacceptable and we’ve condemned Hamas’ activities from the beginning.”

Mr Martin said he would be arguing that the European Commission should be clear about restoring funding to the UN aid agency for Palestinians.

Ireland recently pledged €20million in support for UNRWA while expressing concern that the agency’s major donors continued to suspend their funding.

The aid agency, which provides essential services, including healthcare and education in Gaza, is facing an uncertain future after Israel alleged 12 of its staff were involved in the attack by Hamas, which led to key donors withdrawing their funding.

Mr Martin said it is was not possible to deliver medical and educational systems in Gaza without UNRWA.

They are weary, they have nowhere else to go MICHEAL MARTIN