Devendra Kumar
Tánaiste Micheál Martin, Minister for Foreign Affairs, has strongly appealed to Israel to show more humanity and allow a greater flow of aid into Gaza, describing the situation as a catastrophic and man-made disaster. Martin spoke at an event in Dublin with EU Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management Janez Lenarcic, who described the conditions in Gaza as a disaster. The two officials emphasized the need for a proper flow of aid through the land routes, with Martin stating that it is criminal and absolutely scandalous that children are malnourished and half the population is facing famine.
The situation in Gaza is desperate, with millions of people facing famine, malnutrition, and homelessness. The United Nations has said that a quarter of Gaza’s 2.3 million population is facing starvation, and around 80% have fled their homes since Israel launched its military campaign in response to an attack by Hamas militants on October 7th. The UN’s top court has ordered Israel to take measures to open more land crossings to allow food, water, fuel, and other supplies into Gaza to tackle crippling shortages in the war-ravaged enclave.
Martin emphasized the need for humanitarian intervention, stating that there is no need for this catastrophe and that it is imperative that Israel show humanity and allow aid to flow into Gaza. Lenarcic acknowledged that the situation is dire, but praised Ireland’s consistent support for humanitarian action in Gaza, including its support for UNRWA, which remains a key player in humanitarian efforts in the region. The EU is working on creating a maritime corridor from Cyprus to Gaza, but Lenarcic stressed that it would only be able to provide significant quantities of aid once the Gaza Strip has a port.
The international community must come together to support humanitarian efforts and put pressure on Israel to allow more aid into the region. As Martin stated, the longer the situation is allowed to continue, the more devastating the consequences will be for the people of Gaza. It is essential that Israel shows humanity and allows aid to flow into Gaza to prevent further catastrophe.