Ireland is prepared to broker Gaza deal

Foreign Affairs Minister Charlie Flanagan has called on Israel to accept "tough compromises" in a peace deal with the Palestinians and for Ireland to play a role in the talks between both sides.

The war-torn enclave of Gaza must be allowed reopen its own port and the blockade should be lifted on its 1.7m inhabitants, the newly appointed minister declared.

However, the Fine Gael minister said this could only happen if Hamas, the Palestinian ruling party in Gaza, desisted from acts of violence including firing rockets into Israel.