Targeting and abuse of civilians in Gaza and Lebanon must stop – Taoiseach

It comes as villages in south Lebanon and north Gaza have been told to evacuate by the Israeli military.

Taoiseach Simon Harris speaking to the media during a visit to Georgetown University in Washington DC, US (Niall Carson/PA) (PA Wire)

The deliberate targeting and abuse of civilians in Gaza and Lebanon must stop, the Taoiseach has said.

It comes as villages in south Lebanon and north Gaza have been told to evacuate by the Israeli military.

Palestinian medical officials also said that an Israeli strike in Gaza had killed a family of eight.

The strike late on Saturday hit a home in the Nuseirat refugee camp, killing parents and their six children who ranged in age from eight to 23, according to the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in nearby Deir al-Balah where the bodies were taken.

“Yesterday, Israel ordered more villages in south Lebanon to evacuate,” Simon Harris said in a statement.

“In north Gaza, having attacked Jabalia by land and air, killing dozens of civilians, it has besieged the town and ordered remaining civilians to leave. It is clear they have nowhere safe to go.

“This deliberate targeting and abuse of civilians must stop.

“Civilian populations are protected under international humanitarian law. Targeting them shows flagrant disregard for international law and all human rights norms and is a war crime.

“Those responsible must be held accountable.

“That must be the case for Israel, as well as for Hamas and Hezbollah. There should be no impunity.

“It is past time the international community united not just in condemnation, but in action to bring this appalling situation to an end.

“This week, I will travel to Brussels to attend the EU-Gulf Cooperation Council Summit on Wednesday and the European Council on Thursday. The Middle East will be on the agenda.

“I will be engaging with other EU member states serving with Unifil (United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon) to ensure that our peacekeepers are fully protected and that the EU sends a strong signal of support for Unifil and for the UN more generally.

“I have repeatedly said that the international community – all countries and organisations – must use all levers at our disposal to bring about a ceasefire and to end the appalling violence in the Middle East. The European Council this week is an important opportunity to deliver a strong and united message.”

Meanwhile, Tanaiste Micheal Martin has described Israeli strikes in Gaza as a “war crime”, saying that people are being forced from their homeland.

Mr Martin said the scenes unfolding in Jabalia, north of Gaza, are “horrific” and must stop.

“An offensive by the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF), backed by tanks and air strikes, has left dozens of civilians dead, many close to starvation, and access to humanitarian aid extremely curtailed,” Mr Martin said in a statement.

“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.”

Minister for Justice Helen McEntee said the escalating violence in Lebanon is “extremely worrying”.

She said the safety of Irish peacekeepers is consistently kept under review.

On Saturday, it was reported by the United Nations that another peacekeeper was injured by gunfire in southern Lebanon.

The peacekeeper at the Unifil headquarters in Naqoura was hit by gunfire on Friday following ongoing military activity in the area.

Unifil said it could not confirm the origin of the gunfire.

Ms McEntee said on Sunday: “Our troops are accounted for, they’re safe, but we can clearly see things are escalating even further, and the violence and the escalation in the region is extremely worrying.

“This is something that is kept under consideration consistently, we’re getting hourly reports from the UN as to what is happening.

“Obviously, the uniform troop work together. Our peacekeepers are not the only country there represented, and the decision had been taken over the last number of weeks to stay there.

“These are hugely capable, experienced peacekeepers, but we need to make sure that they are safe, and obviously, following that announcement, I’m sure there will be further engagement in our Taoiseach.

“Israel are not listening here. Israel have crossed international law. They do so every time they injure and kill innocent civilians, be it in Gaza or elsewhere, and now they are directly targeting uniform peacekeepers.”

Social Democrats TD Gary Gannon was critical of the Taoiseach’s visit to the US where he met with President Joe Biden earlier this week.

“I think there was an incredible opportunity this week for Simon Harris to say something meaningful,” he said.

“The two things he didn’t say was the word genocide, which Israel is carrying out in Gaza using US weapons.

“He also didn’t highlight to the US president, that those same weapons being fought on the Unifil troops have been provided with the US.

“He could have made a stand and called for the suspensions of arms sales, such as the Spanish prime minister did a very short time after our Taoiseach left.

“I think he failed in his obligations to ourselves. I think he failed his obligations under the Genocide Act and I think he really let down those peacekeeping troops, not just the Irish ones, but the other 10,000 who are putting themselves in harm’s way.”