Irish leaders condemn Hamas attack on Israel and call for peace process

Tánaiste Micheál Martin

The Taoiseach and Tánaiste have condemned attacks from Hamas militants on Israel and called for “moderate voices” to come to the fore.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said that the rockets launched by Hamas and loss of life was “appalling”, while Tánaiste Micheál Martin said he feared for citizens in Gaza.

“We condemn attacks on civilians unequivocally. The fighting should stop immediately,” Taoiseach Mr Varadkar said.

Mr Martin, who is Ireland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, said it was “vital that the voice of moderation comes to the fore”.

Tánaiste Micheál Martin

Mr Martin said that he could “see tensions rising” during a trip to the region last month, and the scale of Saturday’s attack was “quite shocking”.

He said Ireland’s stance to support a two-state solution had not changed, after an attack that he said was launched “without justification”.

“We believe a two-state solution remains the only sensible and rational solution to this issue and it needs political momentum behind it,” he said.

“My sense is that the hardliners are growing in influence, and that’s why I believe the need to have moderate voices in the centre is key.

“So what we need really is a political peace process to get on track in a serious way. That will mean, I think, international intervention as well to facilitate that, but it’s a very, very complex and difficult situation and there will be many consequences to today’s attack.”

Asked whether Israel’s response to the Hamas attack was proportionate, Mr Martin said that more information was needed.

“I’ve been in touch with my officials, and again, we need hard information to make an assessment of the situation at this stage,” he told reporters on

Saturday evening.

“I’m always of the view that bombing urban conurbations will result in unjustified loss of civilian life, that has always been my consistent position and that’s why Ireland has been a signatory to the international convention in respect of bombings… in densely populated areas and that remains our position.

But this was an appalling attack by Hamas and one which they know the consequences as well, and I fear for people in Gaza because we’ve seen what has happened and there needs to be a political will towards a political solution.”

The Tánaiste had travelled to the region last month on a three-day diplomatic trip where he met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Isaac Herzog.

He also travelled to the occupied Palestinian territory where he met with President Mahmoud Abbas.

Other European leaders have also voiced solidarity with Israel as they condemned the Hamas attack on the country.

The head of the European Union’s executive commission, Ursula von der Leyen, wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, that the attack “is terrorism in its most despicable form”.

She said that “Israel has the right to defend itself against such heinous attacks”.

Germany condemns these attacks by Hamas and stands beside Israel

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said that the militants’ rocket fire and the escalating violence “shock us deeply”.

He added that “Germany condemns these attacks by Hamas and stands beside Israel”.

French president Emmanuel Macron wrote that he “firmly” condemns the “terrorist attacks” against Israel and expressed “my full solidarity with the victims, their families and their loved ones”.

Italian foreign minister Antonio Tajani said Italy’s government condemns the attacks on Israel “with utmost firmness”.

“At risk are the life of people, the security of the region and the resumption of any kind of political process,” Mr Tajani said in a social media post.

Ukraine’s foreign ministry voiced its support for Israel’s “right to defend itself and its people” in a post on social media.

The ministry said it “strongly condemns the ongoing terrorist attacks against Israel, including rocket attacks against the civilian population in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv”.

Ukraine has been fighting a war against Russia since its neighbour invaded in February 2022.

Ursula von der Leyen said that Israel ‘has the right to defend itself’ (Fermin Rodriguez/AP)

Meanwhile, Lebanon’s Hezbollah congratulated Hamas for the operation, saying it had “divine backing”.

The group said the attack is a response to “Israel’s crimes” and attacks on holy places and that “the will of the Palestinian people and the rifle of the resistance is the only alternative to face occupation”.

Hezbollah said that its military command in Lebanon is following the developments on the ground and is in direct contact with the Palestinian command and they are both “evaluating the situation and the ongoing operation”.