President Michael D. Higgins releases a statement on recent violence in Israel and Gaza

Yesterday evening, in a statement posted to the Áras an Uachtaráin website, President Michael D. Higgins spoke out against violence in Israel and Gaza, condemning recent attacks and calling for an immediate end to the "horrific scenes."

On Saturday, Hamas launched a surprise attack on the Supernova psychedelic trance music festival, killing 260 and abducting dozens.

Billed as an international event celebrating "friends, love and infinite freedom," the festival was attended by many young festival-goers hoping to celebrate the Jewish holiday Sukkot; the event coinciding with Sehmini Atzeret/Simchat Torah — a day during which Jewish people are not permitted to work. 22 year-old Irish-Israeli citizen Kim Damti — who was attending the music festival when Hamas launched the attack — is still missing.

SUPERNOVA festival. Photo: Facebook

Israel has since bombarded Gaza in a series of military strikes, killing hundreds of people and imposing a complete siege of the Gaza strip — cutting off its water supply, as well as halting entry of food, fuel and supplies to its 2.3 million inhabitants.

The current death toll, as reported by Al Jazeera, stands at 770 Palestinians in Gaza and more than 900 people in Israel.

President Higgins described the violence as "deeply reprehensible," calling "for an immediate end to the killing which has ... included so many civilians, young people and children, as well as older members of families.

"Any attacks on innocent civilians, such as those horrific scenes witnessed at the Supernova music festival and elsewhere, are deeply reprehensible"

"Further attacks, and reprisals of the same degree, will lead to further loss of innocent life."

Higgins added: "Diplomatic failure to meaningfully address a conflict, one that has been raised every year at the United Nations, is bearing a terrible fruit for all those involved.

"The absence of positive engagement has made a stone of the heart of so many..."

Last night, hundreds gathered outside of the Dáil and the Israeli embassy to protest the bombing of the Gaza strip.

In attendance, PBP TD Richard Boyd Barrett condemned the Israeli attacks as "crimes against humanity," describing them as "the collective punishment of two and a half million people."

 

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Speaking outside the Dáil, Barrett said that Israel are "guilty" of the "systematic, ongoing denial of the most basic civil and human rights to Palestinian people..."

Micheál Martin in Palestine.
Photo: Micheál Martin Twitter

Tánaiste Micheál Martin has also denounced the recent attacks as "appalling," saying, "the deliberate and systematic targeting of civilians can never be justified.

Martin said: "The taking of hostages, including young children and the elderly is unconscionable. They must be released immediately."

The Tánaiste added however: “It has always been my view that bombing urban conurbations will result in unjustified loss of human life. That has always been my consistent position and that’s why Ireland has been a signatory to international conventions in respect of bombings and explosions in densely populated urban areas.

"What the families of the civilians entrapped in these circumstances are going through must be of concern to us all," The President's statement continued.

"It should remind us that it is the responsibility of all of us to return and to engage with all of the sources of conflict, accepting the right of Israel to defend itself, and of Palestinian people to enjoy the rights to which they are entitled."

In regards to the Hamas attacks, President Higgins also called for "immediate urgent engagement by neighbours and the international bodies" in order to bring an end to attacks on both Palestinian and Israeli communities, as well as civilian infrastructure.

Concluding his statement, Higgins said: "I send my deepest condolences to all of the families of the victims, and our thoughts at this time are, in particular, with the family of Kim Damti our fellow citizen.”