Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

It is certainly very traumatising for everyone to hear the stories coming out of Gaza at them moment. The Government has been absolutely proactive on this and has shown leadership at international level from the outset, particularly on the absolute need for a ceasefire and for humanitarian aid to be let into Gaza. As we speak, the Tánaiste is in the region once again, very much advocating, on behalf of Ireland and the international community, the importance of an immediate ceasefire and a way forward, but especially the need to bring much-needed relief to those in Palestine. The response of Israel has been absolutely excessive and unacceptable. The trauma it experienced in the first instance was massive and unprecedented in scale but the response has been totally disproportionate. It has gone totally overboard and has led to much destruction. We need a ceasefire immediately.

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