The Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary, Micheál Martin, has criticised Israel’s prohibition on allowing substantial aid amounts into Gaza as an act of “illegality”. He informed that Ireland persists in collaborating with the European Union and Jordan to provide humanitarian support to the region, which, as per UN reports, is on the brink of mass starvation. This assistance includes the dropping of Irish relief materials into Gaza by Jordanian air forces.
Nonetheless, he argued that ground convoys are irreplaceable as they are the singular effective method of delivering required aid volumes to Gaza’s 2.3 million inhabitants. “It’s outrageous and completely inhumane for children to suffer malnutrition, half the population to be on the verge of famine and others experiencing food shortages,” he expressed, in one of his sharpest critiques of Israel since it initiated its Gaza assault post the Hamas-led terrorist activities on October 7th.
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“There’s no justification for this,” noted Mr Martin, highlighting that Israel was also excessively scrutinising aid convoys at the border, causing a lag in humanitarian endeavours. He mentioned being informed about the devastating ground situation by his Jordanian and Palestinian peers.
The Deputy Prime Minister urged Israel to “display compassion and let the Gaza people access basic life necessities.” He made these remarks during the release of the Government’s latest national risk analysis, which ranks the most urgent risks endangering public safety. In attendance was the European Commissioner for Crisis Management, Janez Lenarčič. He confirmed that there was enough food aid in Egypt and Jordan to sustain Gazans until August. However, the only method of providing it in sufficient volumes is by road transport. The EU backs air-drops, but according to Mr Lenarčič, they’re “unproductive and occasionally hazardous.”
Based on the national risk evaluation, the unrest in Gaza and Russia’s Ukrainin aggression have heightened Ireland’s exposure to terrorism and armed conflicts. The report pinpoints antimicrobial-resistant infections, pandemics, and food supply chain disruptions as additional primary risks.
In discussing Ireland’s increased susceptibility to external hazards due to its backing of Ukraine against Russia, Mr Martin recognised a surge in risks “all over Europe”. He highlighted a rise in cybercrime as well as threats to maritime security, evidenced by the suspected 2022 Nord Stream pipeline sabotage.
In addition, he commented on the amplified threat posed by hybrid warfare and misinformation, stating, “Elections worry me. We’ve observed clear signs of interference via various media platforms in other regions. These could be imminent threats.” However, he noted that there are no current indicators of such issues pertaining to the forthcoming local elections.
For the first time, the national risk evaluation acknowledged the potential for sabotage or harm to submarine infrastructure, including the dual pipelines from the UK, Ireland’s only source of natural gas. The report indicated that Ireland could be specifically prone to the damaging of gas pipelines due to the country’s lack of its own gas reserves.
Mr Martin reiterated that safeguarding this infrastructure extends beyond deploying naval vessels at sea. He stressed the importance of intelligence cooperation and private sector engagement. He also disclosed that two naval patrol vessels, which were obtained second-hand from New Zealand last year, are expected to be deployed in the upcoming months.