Israel now 'behaving like a monster' in Gaza

Tánaiste Micheál Martin described Israel's latest actions as 'without question, a violation of international humanitarian law'.

Israel is now behaving like a "monster" and sanctions against Benjamin Netanyahu's government should not be ruled out.

As international pressure grows on Israel to halt plans for a ground offensive in the southern city of Rafah where around 1.3m Palestinians are now sheltering, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar is to write to EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen after speaking with her earlier this week.

Tánaiste Micheál Martin indicated that Ireland "cannot rule out" sanctions which could see a freezing of assets or travel bans on Israeli officials, describing the latest actions as "without question, a violation of international humanitarian law".

Mr Martin is expected to announce an increase in Irish funding for the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees when he meets with UNRWA's commissioner general Philippe Lazzarini on Thursday.

As the death toll reached almost 28,500, truce talks in Cairo involving officials from the US, Egypt, Israel, and Qatar ended without a breakthrough.

A Palestinian official earlier had said the sides were seeking a formula acceptable to Hamas, which "says it is only possible to sign a deal once it is based on an Israeli commitment to ending its war and pulling out its forces from Gaza".

Separately, South Africa made an urgent request to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to consider whether Israel’s decision to extend its military operations in Rafah requires that the court use its power to prevent further breach of the rights of Palestinians in Gaza.

Israeli tanks shelled the eastern sector of Rafah, causing waves of panic among displaced residents who have been crammed into tents along the Egyptian border.

In the Dáil, Mr Varadkar said there is a “serious risk of a massacre” occurring and that a ground offensive would constitute a “gross violation of international law”.

I do not believe that you respond to a massacre with more massacre and I don’t believe you can defeat a monster by behaving like a monster yourself."

Mr Varadkar said the Government has taken many actions including increasing funding for UNRWA in Gaza and the West Bank when other countries have suspended their funding. He said the Government has voiced its position and voted in support of the Palestinian people in the UN and the EU.

He added: “We have called for the EU-Israel association agreement to be suspended based on our view that Israel may be in violation of the Human Rights clause, I spoke to the European Commission president on that only yesterday.

“It does, however, require unanimity at EU level to do so and there is not unanimity at EU level to do so, as you know."

It is understood that Mr Varadkar is also writing to Ms von der Leyen to further stress the need to suspend the agreement with Israel.

France announced sanctions against 28 Israeli settlers who have been accused of human rights abuses against Palestinians in the West Bank; however, there is a growing feeling that the EU needs to "make up ground" as a bloc.

Push for EU sanctions

It is understood that Irish officials have been in discussions with EU counterparts ahead of a meeting of foreign ministers on Monday where Mr Martin will again push for EU-wide sanctions against violent settlers.

Asked if the Government might go further in pushing for sanctions against Israeli politicians, Mr Martin said: "In terms of sanctions, nation states are very limited in terms of sanctions because they generally tend to be EU-wide and we'd have to examine that in terms of impact and so on, but we wouldn't rule anything out."

He added that the "most effective measure" to take is legal intervention "in terms of breach and violation of international humanitarian law".

Mr Martin said Ireland had increased UNRWA funding from €6m at the start of last year to €18m and this year's allocation to the agency is also being examined.

He confirmed that there will be an increase in the base allocation for this year and funding will involve humanitarian support but also reconstruction.