Varadkar: Irish citizens will be able to leave Gaza over 'next couple of days'

Varadkar: Irish citizens will be able to leave Gaza over 'next couple of days'

Leo Varadkar said more than 25 Irish citizens were able to leave Gaza in recent days. Picture: Gareth Chaney

Any Irish citizen who wants to leave Gaza will be able to do so over the “next couple of days”, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said.

Speaking to reporters in Limerick this evening, Mr Varadkar said more than 25 Irish citizens were able to leave Gaza in recent days.

Today, there were 27 Irish citizens who received permission to leave Gaza via the Rafah crossing.

We anticipate over the course of the next couple of days that any Irish citizen in Gaza that wants to leave will be able to leave.

“[I] really want to recognise the work done by our Department of Foreign Affairs officials on the ground and also the cooperation from the Egyptian, Israeli, and Jordanian authorities who have assisted us with this," said Mr Varadkar.

“Very conscious, of course, there is one young girl who turned nine today, Emily Hand, who we believe is being held hostage by Hamas in Gaza."

Emily Hand's second cousin Anna Byrne from Wexford marks her birthday at the entrance of Stephen's Green Park in Dublin today.
Emily Hand's second cousin Anna Byrne from Wexford marks her birthday at the entrance of Stephen's Green Park in Dublin today.

"Unfortunately, she’s not free to leave because she’s being held hostage and we’re still very much working on that case.

“As recent as yesterday, I spoke with the president of the International Red Cross in Geneva, just to see if there's anything that can be done to get more information about her whereabouts, about what condition she's in, whether she's safe, and to see if there's anything we can do to facilitate her release.” 

Earlier today, members of the Israeli community in Ireland held a vigil for Emily Hand outside St Stephen's Green in Dublin city centre.

Speaking at the vigil, Anna Byrne, a cousin of Emily's father Thomas Hand, said it was a sad day.

It is quite sad because we [the family] were hoping to have her home for her birthday. We don’t know what kind of birthday she’s having.

“We’re keeping positive and just praying and hoping,” Ms Byrne said. "That is the thing that’s keeping us all going, the positivity that we’re going to see Emily.”

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