Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 1 October 2024
5. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the steps being taken to assist Palestinian citizens who have been cleared to evacuate from the Palestinian region of Gaza and come to Ireland based on having family members already living in Ireland; the contact carried out with the Israeli occupation forces to ensure they are not preventing their evacuation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38564/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraI want to thank the Deputy for his question regarding the situation of Palestinian citizens who have been cleared to exit Gaza and who have visas for travel to Ireland, based on having family members already living in Ireland, but who have, so far, been unable to exit Gaza.
I also want to recognise the extremely challenging and distressing situation for all those families in Ireland who have family members who have been unable to exit Gaza.
Clearance to exit Gaza has been subject to the approval of the relevant local authorities. This process has involved our Embassies in Tel Aviv and Cairo submitting the names of those Irish citizens and dependants who wished to leave Gaza to the relevant authorities, including Palestinian family members of Irish citizens in Ireland who had been granted visas for Ireland to join their family. These lists have been updated and resubmitted on an ongoing basis. Once clearance is received, our Embassy in Cairo liaise with the Egyptian authorities to receive Irish citizens and dependants on the Egyptian side, and to support their onward journey to Ireland. To date, we have assisted over 100 individuals to exit Gaza.
Some Irish citizens and dependants, including family members with visa to travel to Ireland, have received clearance to exit Gaza, but, due to the situation on the ground have not been able to exit. The Israeli military operation in Rafah, which began in May, has resulted in the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt being closed. Since its closure, departure of civilians from Gaza has not been possible. It is now almost five months since any civilians have been allowed to depart.
I wish to assure you that officials in the Department of Foreign Affairs, through our Embassies in the region, continue to advocate consistently with the local authorities to enable all Irish citizens and dependents remaining in Gaza who wish to depart, to do so.
Members of the Government undertook intensive engagements at the UN in New York last week. The urgent need to address the conflict in the Middle East is a priority, including efforts to advance the two-State solution, achieve a ceasefire and hostage release deal and to ensure the supply of humanitarian assistance at scale in Gaza.
