The temporary reopening of the Erez Gate in northern Gaza and Ashdod Port for delivery of humanitarian aid has been welcomed by Trócaire.
In a statement, the Irish bishops’ aid agency warned that more than half of the population of Gaza will experience famine before mid-May unless drastic changes are introduced immediately.
Mahmoud Shalabi, programme director of Trócaire’s partner in Gaza, Medical Aid for Palestinians, accused the Israeli government of “using starvation as a weapon of war in Gaza” He was the situation was “an entirely preventable human-made crisis” that could be ended “right now”.
Trócaire said Palestinians have been subjected to systematic violence, oppression and discrimination by Israel and there has been no accountability or answerability demanded from the international community “for these outrages”.
“Not only does Israel pay no price for these actions, but rather it is rewarded through support and beneficial trade relations. How many more international laws will be breached by Israel before the tide turns and the USA’s military support of Israel will end?” said Caoimhe de Barra, Trócaire’s chief executive.
She said the Israeli Defence Forces’ indefensible targeting of civilians, hospitals and aid workers has brought outrage. “But these are just empty words if not followed by action.”
Trócaire has called for the Occupied Territories Bill to be unblocked in the Irish parliament and also appealed for support for the passage of the Illegal Israeli Settlements Divestment Bill.
The agency said some of the investments made by the Irish Strategic Investment Fund – Ireland’s national pension fund – are in companies and banks “that are complicit in human rights violations including the war on Gaza” and warned that there could be no justification or excuse for continuing this.
Separately, the new Taoiseach, Simon Harris, has criticised the Israeli government for the lack of aid permitted to enter Gaza, describing it as causing “famine”.
“Prime minister Netanyahu, the Irish people could not be clearer. We are repulsed by your actions. Ceasefire now and let the aid flow safely,” Mr Harris said in his keynote address to Fine Gael party members in Galway.
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