Leader of Sinn Féin condemns Hamas attack on Israel and Israeli bombardment of Gaza

Speaking on RTÉ Radio’s The News at 1, Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald has condemned the targeting of civilians and the taking of hostages by Hamas, describing its attack on Israel on Saturday as “truly horrific”. She also condemned the ongoing bombardment of Gaza by the Israeli defence forces. Sinn Féin is the main opposition party in the Dáil (principal chamber of the Irish parliament). Taoiseach (Ireland's prime minister) Leo Varadkar and Tánaiste (deputy prime minister) Micheál Martin have also condemned the attack and the response by Israel in Gaza.

Mary Lou McDonald's comments follow a recent statement by Sinn Féin spokesperson on Foreign Affairs and Defence, Matt Carthy TD, who appealed for an urgent end to hostilities in Gaza and Israel. He has urged that all armed actions by Palestinian forces cease, and that Israeli forces immediately stop the ongoing attacks on Gaza. He called for a decisive international intervention to bring about a lasting and just solution to the Palestinian question.

Mary Lou McDonald said “My feeling overall in this scenario is one of alarm because this is now a very, very dangerous situation, but I am also feeling a very deep frustration. The truth is that for decades, the Israeli state has breached international law, day in and day out, with collective punishment, annexation, confiscation of lands, imposing an apartheid regime, denying the Palestinian people the right to self determination. And there is just such a depressing predictability about this entire intensification of conflict,”.