The Tánaiste has accused Israel of war crimes in northern Gaza.
Micheál Martin said that the ongoing bombardment by Israeli forces at the refugee camp in Jabalia was “horrific”, and that it and other attacks on northern Gaza must stop. At least 19 people have been reported dead in the camp, including women and children, according the Hamas-run health ministry.
Mr Martin’s comments came as Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged the United Nations on Sunday to evacuate troops in its Unifil peacekeeping force from combat areas in Lebanon.
Netanyahu said the military had asked the UN to evacuate the soldiers repeatedly, adding that their presence in the area made them hostages of Hezbollah. The call from the Israeli prime minister follows outrage over several attacks by his forces on peacekeeping troops
On Saturday, it was reported by the United Nations that another peacekeeper was injured by gunfire in the country’s south – the fifth peacekeepers to be injured.
Overnight, Israeli air and ground forces have been attacking Jabalia refugee camp, where the Israeli military says militants have regrouped.
Over the past year, Israeli forces have repeatedly returned to the built-up refugee camp. Israel has ordered the full evacuation of northern Gaza, including Gaza City. An estimated 400,000 people remain in the north after a mass evacuation ordered in the opening weeks of the war.
Mr Martin said that this was effectively mass expulsion and, thus, a war crime.
“An offensive by the Israeli Defence Forces, backed by tanks and air strikes, has left dozens of civilians dead, many close to starvation, and access to humanitarian aid extremely curtailed. An entire population is being encircled and forced out, with nowhere for them to go.
“This represents a mass expulsion of people from their homeland. It is a war crime, and the international community must use every lever at its disposal to pressure Israel to stop this war.
“The UN and the world’s media must be allowed immediate access to witness what is happening. This war must end.
“I will be raising our profound concern and the urgency of bringing an end to this devastation at the Foreign Affairs Council meeting in Luxembourg tomorrow.”
