'Serious risk of a massacre' in Rafah amid fears of Israeli ground offensive

Leo Varadkar was speaking to Labour leader Ivana Bacik during Leaders’ Questions in the Dáil and said Israel is 'blinded by rage'

Some of the destruction from the Israeli bombardment of Rafah on Monday. About 1.5 million Palestinians are currently trapped in the city. Photo: AP/Hatem Ali

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said there is a “serious risk of a massacre” occurring amid fears of an Israeli ground offensive in Rafah.

Mr Varadkar was speaking to Labour leader Ivana Bacik during Leaders’ Questions in the Dáil and said Israel is “blinded by rage”. 

His comments come as senior officials from the US, Israel, Egypt and Qatar are meeting as Israel faces strong international pressure to stop its bombardment of the southern Gaza city of Rafah. About 1.5 million Palestinians are currently trapped there.

Mr Varadkar said if the Israeli military began a ground offensive, it would be a “gross violation of international law”.

He said both Israel and Hamas should accept the ceasefire proposal on the table which would last for three months and allow hostages to be released and allow the killing to stop. He said there would be a possibility to build on that three-month ceasefire which could potentially become permanent.

“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,” the Taoiseach said.

The Taoiseach said it is clear to him that Israel is not listening to any country in the world, including the Americans.

The Taoiseach said:

They have become blinded by rage and they are going to make the situation, I believe, much worse for their own security in the long term, going down the path they’re going.

The Taoiseach told Ms Bacik that he and other TDs are being shouted at and abused on the streets from people who believe the Government can do something to stop Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

He said: “I am concerned that there are actually people who shouted with us and abused us in the streets.

“Maybe they don't do it to you, but they certainly do it to me and to my colleagues here who believe there's some action that we can take that will change Benjamin Netanyahu’s mind, I think that's incorrect. And I don't think people should spread that idea. I think [it's] actually irresponsible,” Mr Varadkar said.

The Taoiseach told the Dáil that 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 also voiced their position and voted in support of the Palestinian people in the UN and the EU.

He said: “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.”

The Taoiseach also said the Attorney General will travel to The Hague later this month to make the State’s case before the international criminal court in relation to Israel’s ongoing occupation of the West Bank and Gaza.

Some of the damage to residential buildings during an operation by Israeli security forces in Rafah on Monday. Photo: AP/Fatima Shbair

He said Ireland is also in discussions with other EU member states about recognising Palestine as a State and doing it in a meaningful way alongside other countries.

Meanwhile, Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald has called for statements in the Dáil on the war in Gaza and re-iterated her calls for the Israeli ambassador to Ireland, Dana Elrich, to be expelled.

“It’s long past time she was sent packing,” Ms McDonald said.

The Taoiseach said it's not the practice of government to expel ambassadors and the State needs to speak to the ambassador about two things. First of all Irish citizens who are still cut off in Gaza and secondly, the safety of Irish troops on the border of Lebanon and the Golan Heights.