Taoiseach to raise case of Irish citizen trapped in Gaza with Joe Biden 'if there's time'

Batoul Hania with her sons Mazen, Ismael, Ahmed and Nour. Her husband Zak, an Irish-Palestinian man whose photograph is seen on the mobile phone, was not permitted to cross the border from Gaza into Egypt. Picture: Moya Nolan

The Taoiseach has promised to raise the case of an Irish citizen still trapped in Gaza with US President Joe Biden if there is time.

Zak Hania has been unable to leave the Palestinian enclave in the wake of the Hamas attacks on October 7. His family, who are in Ireland, have repeatedly pleaded with the Government to do everything possible to get him out.

Leo Varadkar said he hopes a ceasefire will be announced before he meets Mr Biden in the White House later this week and stressed the importance of establishing a Palestinian state to ensure lasting peace.

Asked if he would be raising Mr Hania's case during his meeting with Mr Biden, Mr Varadkar said: "If there's time I will. I'm sure you can appreciate there are maybe hundreds of requests for things to raise with President Biden and I won't be able to raise them all. But that's certainly on the list of things that I'll try to raise, if there is time."

However, Mr Varadkar said that Israel is key to getting the Irish citizen out and work continues with a number of other countries on this.

"When it comes to Irish citizens who are in Gaza our main contacts are with the Israeli government and with the Egyptian Government and to a lesser extent, the Qataris. They're the ones who have the most influence. That's certainly been done already. The US has influence over Israel, but it doesn't control any of the borders around Gaza, so it's the Egyptians and Israelis that we're working with, they're the ones who control the borders."

Mr Varadkar said the situation in Gaza is evolving on a daily basis, but he will be encouraging Mr Biden to "redouble the efforts that he is making to bring about a ceasefire on the ground" between Israel and Hamas.

The Taoiseach said:

I'm still hoping that by the time I see President Biden on Friday that there will be a ceasefire, although that looks increasingly unlikely.

"There are two parties in this conflict we should never forget that. The current phase of this conflict began on October 7, when Hamas engaged in a brutal terrorist attack against Israel, they have to stop too, so it requires both sides to agree to a ceasefire."

He added that he will be raising the work that is required from Europe and the US after a ceasefire is reached.

"What we're hearing from the Israeli government, in terms of what their plans are for Gaza the day after, are entirely unacceptable. It is an occupied territory, it's not Israel's right to decide what happens in Gaza.

"It's an occupied territory and America and Europe have a role to play in building a Palestinian state, which I think is the only chance that we have of peace and justice," said Mr Varadkar.