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17th May 2021

Micheál Martin says “appalling violence” in Gaza on “all sides” must stop

Clara Kelly

Taoiseach Micheál Martin

The estimated overall death toll in the territory now stands at 198.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said that the “appalling violence” in Gaza on “all sides” must stop as the conflict between Israel and Palestine rages on.

The Taoiseach said he is “absolutely horrified” at the “terribly violence” that occurred in the Middle East over the past week.

“I have been absolutely horrified at the terrible violence in the Middle East over the course of the last week,” he said on Monday.

“The Irish Government’s position is clear, we call on all sides to deescalate and to stop the violence. The innocent killing of civilians and children is truly appalling.”

Martin added that both the “firing of rockets by Hamas” and “disproportionate response” by Israeli forces “simply has to stop”.

“Whether it’s the indiscriminate firing of rockets by Hamas or the wholly disproportionate response by the Israeli government forces. It simply has to stop,” he continued.”

“The world is appalled as it watches on at the killing of so many innocent civilians. It must stop, and it must stop now.”

Israeli airstrikes in the heart of Gaza City killed at least 26 people and flattened three buildings on Sunday in what was the deadliest single attack since heavy fighting broke out between Isreal and Palestine’s militant group Hamas last week.

The Gaza Health Ministry said 10 women and eight children were among those killed in Sunday’s attack, with another 50 injured.

Meanwhile, on Friday, an Israeli airstrike destroyed a high-rise building in Gaza City that housed offices of The Associated Press and other media outlets.

The move was the latest step by the military to silence reporting from the territory and the strike came nearly an hour after the military ordered people to evacuate the building.

The 12-story building also housed Al-Jazeera, other offices, and residential apartments.

At least 174 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza thus far including 47 children and 29 women, meanwhile, 1,200 have been injured. Eight Israelis have also died, including a five-year-old boy and a soldier.

Hamas and the Islamic Jihad militant group have acknowledged 20 fighters have been killed since the fighting broke out last Monday. Israel claims the real number is higher.

The fighting was triggered by violence in Jerusalem and Israel has since carried out hundreds of airstrikes across the blockaded territory, which is home to more than two million Palestinians.

Thousands of people across Ireland joined protests in solidarity with Palestine on Saturday, as protesters marched from Dublin City Centre to Ballsbridge, where the Israeli embassy is located on Pembrooke Road.

Outside the embassy, protestors gathered in huge numbers waving Palestinian flags and carrying signs calling on the government to expel the Israeli ambassador to Ireland.

The protest in Dublin was just one of a number of protests which took place around the country on Saturday, meanwhile, a number of pro-Palestine protests have also taken place internationally in recent days.