I propose to take Questions Nos. 153, 156, 157, 178, 184 and 215 together.
I thank the Deputy for raising the question. I have been engaging intensively with EU, regional and international partners since the beginning of this crisis in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory. During all of these engagements, I have conveyed the same message: there is an urgent need for a sustainable humanitarian ceasefire and a significant scale-up of humanitarian access and supplies into Gaza.
Immediately following the attack by Hamas, I attended an extraordinary meeting of EU Foreign Ministers on 10 October to discuss the ongoing violence on the ground in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory. I underlined the importance of principled and collective action by the EU and its member states and the need for the EU to act for the protection of civilians and adherence to international law.
In subsequent meetings of the EU Foreign Affairs Council during October and November, I emphasised that a purely military approach was unworkable and called on my counterparts to urge for a humanitarian ceasefire. I shared my serious concerns with my EU counterparts about the situation in Gaza. I stressed the need for the EU response to evolve as the situation evolves. On 1 November, I spoke bilaterally to the EU High Representative and discussed the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza.
I travelled to the region from 14 to 16 November. During this visit I met Israeli Foreign Minister Cohen, to whom I reiterated Ireland’s unequivocal condemnation of the Hamas terror attack on 7 October, expressed my grave concern about the humanitarian situation in Gaza and reiterated my call for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire. I also met the President of Israel, Isaac Herzog, during which I stressed the urgent need to dramatically increase the supply of humanitarian aid into Gaza. During this visit I also met with my Palestinian and Egyptian counterparts and the prime minister of Palestine. I will continue to advocate for a clear position from the EU, which emphasises the need for a sustainable humanitarian ceasefire and remains alive to the evolving situation.
Ireland's actions have also reflected our strong commitment to multilateralism. On Monday of this week, I attended the Regional Forum of the Union for the Mediterranean in Barcelona alongside EU and regional partners. The focus of this year’s forum was the conflict in Gaza. I underlined the need for the current truce, which has seen the release of hostages, including Emily Hand, to be extended, as well as the need to focus on a credible pathway to peace in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. I also took the opportunity to meet with a number of my counterparts, including the Lebanese, Saudi, Turkish, Belgian, Slovenian and Luxembourg foreign ministers.
At the United Nations Security Council open debate on 24 October, Ireland called for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire and welcomed the initial supply of aid stressing that far more was needed. Ireland supported the Jordanian-led United Nations General Assembly Resolution on 27 October, which called for a humanitarian truce leading to a cessation of hostilities. This resolution addresses steps that must be implemented with the utmost urgency in order to protect civilian lives and increase the provision of humanitarian aid.
Since the start of this crisis, in my engagements with partners that have influence in the region, I have conveyed the message that urgent de-escalation is needed and that humanitarian access and supplies into Gaza must be prioritised. I have spoken with my Iranian counterpart and urged him in the strongest terms to bring his influence to bear in avoiding regional escalation and in insisting on the immediate and unconditional release of hostages. I have also engaged with the Lebanese defence minister as well as my Jordanian, Qatari and Emirati counterparts.
I welcome the role that other partners have been playing through diplomatic efforts to avoid a regional escalation. I welcome the intensive efforts of the United States, including visits by Secretary of State Anthony Blinken to the region to engage with regional partners. In addition, I commend the efforts of the United States, Qatar and Egypt in securing the recent truce agreement. Their work highlights the value, and the necessity, of effective diplomacy.
It is also important that our efforts aimed at addressing the immediate crisis also lay the foundation for a pathway towards a sustainable peace in the long term. I will continue to underline this point in my ongoing engagement with EU, regional and international partners.