British President Michael D Higgins issued a stern rebuke over the inhibition of aid entering the Gaza Strip due to “state activities and unlawful barriers”, obliging the perpetrators hindering the essential supply dispatch to “acknowledge their role in the subsequent fatalities”.
In a vehemently phrased proclamation released Monday night, Higgins demanded an urgent discontinuation of the obstruction of food and aid provision, deeming it “a question of survival”.
Recently, there have been alerts of pervasive famine in the territory, particularly in the northern parts of Gaza. A survey performed by the World Health Organisation (WHO) last month cautioned that one in six children in northern Gaza are severely undernourished.
Israel has faced allegations of prohibiting aid from reaching the Gaza Strip since the Gaza conflict erupted last year.
[Irish artists such as Kneecap and Gavin James withdrew from the SXSW festival in a show of unity with Gaza]
In late February, Human Rights Watch claimed that the Israeli government was preventing aid from reaching the territory in defiance of a mandate from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague. Israel, however, has denied limiting the entrance of aid into Gaza.
Higgins, in his announcement, urged that the hindrance of aid by “state activities and unlawful barriers violates every humanitarian doctrine”.
He further stated, “The most severe instances of famine are being witnessed in those areas of northern and central Gaza where Israel has announced the termination of its military campaign.”
Higgins also decried a calculated “disinformation effort” targeted at the United Nations (UN) and the aid operations of Unrwa, a UN aid agency active in Gaza. He referenced remarks from Philippe Lazzarini, the head of Unrwa, who last week lambasted a systematic disinformation campaign designed to disparage the agency’s reputation.
Higgins described the orchestrated smearing of the United Nations’ reputation as an outrageous offence against the commendable endeavours of those engaged in front-line duties in Gaza – the medical workforce, individuals striving to provide nutrition and aid under challenging situations, and other devoted Unrwa professionals who have lost more than 160 colleagues.
In recent times, several countries, including the United States, have ceased their financial contributions to Unrwa following accusations by Israel that at least a dozen of the agency’s staff were implicated in the October 7th attacks in which approximately 1,200 Israeli were slain in assaults led by Hamas across southern Israel.
Mr Higgins has strongly criticised the countries comprising the world’s strongest economies, who have withdrawn over $450m from the UNRWA budget. He highlights the dire consequences being broadcast globally, including children succumbing due to lack of oxygen, malnutrition-related deaths, and an escalating crisis.
Recently, there’s been a resumption of aid to UNRWA by Canada and Sweden. In light of the allegations against UNRWA and subsequent funding withdrawals by certain countries, Ireland’s Deputy Prime Minister, Micheál Martin, has committed to a €20 million donation to the agency.
Mr Higgins, strongly stating that it’s overdue for other European Union members and nations to support Ireland’s request for a prompt ceasefire in Gaza, called also for the release of Israeli hostages detained by Hamas.
As Gaza plunges deeper into famine and the death toll rises, Mr Higgins emphasises the crucial need for international intervention to prevent a severe humanitarian disaster. Mr Higgins also underscored the urgent need to establish long-term peace to safeguard Palestinian rights and ensure Israel’s security once a ceasefire has been negotiated and agreed.
According to data released by the Gaza Health Ministry, Israel’s military action in Gaza last year has caused the death of over 31,000 Palestinians, predominantly women and children.
Several Irish artists, in support of the Gaza people, have withdrawn from the SXSW festival, citing the US army’s sponsorship of the event in Austin, Texas. The Irish language rap group Kneecap, bands Sprints and Soda Blonde, have pulled out of the festival, citing a subsidiary of the arms manufacturing company, RTX Corporation, as a participant in the festival. Singer songwriter, Gavin James, also declared his withdrawal from the festival.
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