Leo Varadkar (Irish prime minister) : Israel breaching international law by ‘targeting civilians’ and cutting off electricity and water
- Mr Varadkar said cutting off civilian infrastructure was “not acceptable”.
People dig graves to bury bodies of Palestinians as the residents struggle to find spaces in cemeteries in Gaza. Photo: REUTERS/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa.
Eoghan Moloney
Today at 16:42
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said Israel’s decision to cut off electricity, water and food supplies into Gaza is “not acceptable”.
Mr Varadkar also said that due to Israel “targeting civilians and cutting off civilian infrastructure” they were in “breach of international humanitarian law”.
More than 6,000 bombs have reportedly been dropped on Gaza in the past six days and more than 1,500 civilians have died in the region.
This bombardment and siege of Gaza comes after the deadliest attack in Israeli history when Hamas militants crossed into Israel and killed more than 1,200 civilians while taking hostages back to the Gaza strip.
“Well, I believe Israel has the right to defend itself. But Israel doesn't have the right to do wrong. What do I mean by that? Israel is a country that is surrounded by enemies, brutal savage groups like Hamas and Hezbollah, countries like Iran, often supported by Islamic fundamentalists and anti Semites around the world. So Israel is under threat.
“They do have a right to defend themselves, but they don't have the right to breach international humanitarian law. And I'm really concerned about what I'm seeing happening in Gaza at the moment,” Taoiseach Leo Varadkar told RTÉ’s Prime Time.
“To me, it amounts to collective punishment, cutting off power, cutting off fuel supplies and water supplies. That's not the way a respectable democratic state should conduct itself.
“I believe by targeting civilians and by cutting off civilian infrastructure that is a breach of international humanitarian law. And I think it's very important for us as Ireland to make sure that that voice is brought to the table at European Union level.
"So yes, Hamas should release all of the hostages immediately, Israeli citizens and dual citizens. Israel's entirely justified in going after Hamas, in Gaza and elsewhere. But operations that clearly affect civilians disproportionately are wrong, cutting off electricity, cutting off water. That's not acceptable. And one thing we definitely need to see happen now, we'll do anything we can through the UN to achieve this is the opening of the humanitarian corridor between Egypt and Gaza,” Mr Varadkar said.
This corridor would facilitate the movement of aid into Gaza but thus far Egypt is refusing to accept Palestinians into its territory.
One of the most brutal attacks of the war saw 260 people killed while attending a music festival in Re’im, near the Gaza border. Among those killed there was Irish-Israeli Kim Damti (22) whose funeral took place today.
"I just think we're all really shocked by what happened. I heard her mother talking about how she didn't bring her daughter up to hate anyone and just the thought of anyone having their life ended in the way it was, it's really sad and the nation is mourning,” Mr Varadkar said.
