A reminder that the war in Gaza is more than us, more complicated than we might think from our safe American homes.
Orthodox Christians in Gaza City
n light of these concerns, the Church of St. Porphyrios conducted a “mass baptism” of nine children on Saturday, October 28, amid the first major communications blackout that Israel imposed on Gaza, while increasing its airstrikes in the area to levels not seen previously.
On Sunday, October 29, the Israeli military warned those sheltering at the Orthodox cultural center in the west of Gaza City (around 1,000–1,500 people) to leave the property. Two days later, on the morning of October 31, Israel’s military destroyed the state-of-the-art building in an airstrike. Having seen yet another one of its properties targeted, the Patriarchate of Jerusalem issued another scathing statement: This “unjustified attack on one of the pillars of culture and social services in Gaza,” the patriarchate said, represented “a stark embodiment of Israel’s unwarranted determination to destroy the civil infrastructure and social service centers, as well as shelters for civilians trapped in the besieged enclave.” Accordingly, it called once again for “an immediate and comprehensive ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.”
Such a ceasefire has not happened in the days since, and now, as Israel’s military, in its fight against Hamas, has entered Gaza and has cut off the north (Gaza City) from the south, the situation in the north has gotten even more dire than previously.
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As with all populations everywhere, no matter the country, Gaza’s people have had to bear with the consequences of their government’s policies and actions whether they support those policies and actions or not. But one should be clear: While Israel’s ongoing bombardment and invasion of Gaza is most immediately the result of Hamas’s attack on October 7, it is callous, duplicitous, and pernicious for leaders and scholars elsewhere—especially Christian leaders—to argue that “responsibility” for the deaths of “innocent people” and the “current escalation of violence” lies “solely with Hamas” (as a German Jewish-Christian working group stated) or that it is exclusively “Hamas” who is bringing “suffering” on the “civilian population of Gaza” (as an international group of biblical scholars claimed). Governments of sovereign states bear the responsibility for what those governments choose to do. Israel’s ongoing policy in Gaza is no exception.
Tánaiste Micheál Martin has said he has been given no confirmation that Irish-Israeli girl Emily Hand is alive.
However, he said he believes the eight year old will be among the first hostages released should an agreement be reached between Israel and Hamas.
The Tánaiste raised Emily’s case with his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukry and the General Secretary of the Arab League Aboul Gheit during a day of diplomacy in Cairo, Egypt.
The Fianna Fáil leader said he has also raised Emily’s case with the Qatari Foreign Minister and with Palestinian authorities.
“In terms of those who have Emily and the hostages in captivity, they have been keeping a very tight sort of security around that. In other words, they're not revealing any details as to locations or anything like that would be our understanding of it,” Mr Martin said.***
Speaking ahead of a Dáil vote on expelling Israel’s Ambassador to Ireland Dana Elrich, the Tánaiste said the proposal from the Opposition was “very superficial”.
“What happened today is a vindication of diplomacy and the essential nature of diplomacy itself,” he said after meeting the general secretary of the Arab League in the Egyptian capital Cairo.
“We cannot work without people on the ground in states all over the region,” he said.
Mr Martin said he had been “taken aback” by a proposition to expel the ambassador, saying there was no substance to the motion tabled by the Social Democrats.
Danny Healy-Rae compares Israel-Hamas conflict to a fistfight in Kenmare, Co Kerry
Independent TD Danny Healy-Rae has compared the Israel-Hamas conflict to a 3am fistfight in Kenmare.
He was speaking on a Gaza motion tabled by the Social Democrats – and a TD of that party, Jennifer Whitmore, widened her eyes after hearing his contribution.
“We have to remain neutral,” Mr Healy-Rae began.
“But we must ask and do everything possible to ensure the war ends on a humanitarian basis, because so many lives are being taken and lost. I will give an example.
“When I was a young fellow, I used to be out late. I came around MacSwiney's corner in Kenmare at 3am one night to see two very good friends of mine fighting.
“One of them was being kicked on the ground because the other fellow was way bigger. It was my duty to get out and stop that fight.
“While they were two friends of mine, I had to part and separate them. This is what we should try to do on an international level.”
Mr Healy-Rae said he condemned US President Joe Biden “because I believe he could stop it. One word from him and he could stop it".
He added: “It is sad to think that so many lives are being lost. We have to consider our own people, Irish passport holders, who are stranded out there.
THE Government believes eight-year-old Irish hostage Emily Hand is being held in a tunnel under Gaza, the Taoiseach has told the Dáil as he clashed with Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald on the Middle East conflict.
“Hamas should release all of its hostages, particularly the children -- including Emily Hand, the Irish hostage, who we believe is being held in tunnels in Gaza at the moment,” Mr Varadkar told TDs.
He was highlighting Hamas as “a terrorist organisation” as Ms McDonald sought to portray Israel as the villain in the violence, citing IDF soldiers entering the Al-Shifa hospital in the devastated strip.
As the Taoiseach was heckled in his reply by Sinn Féin Deputies, Mr Varadkar protested above the outcry: “May I speak? It's a very clear and consistent approach from Sinn Féin towards the Government, other parties, and towards the media -- to shout them down or sue them.
“Well, this is a Parliament. This is a democracy. And I'm going to be heard -- without being threatened with legal action or being shouted down. Would that be possible?”
He then rounded on Ms McDonald personally: “This is still a democracy, Deputy. We're never going to let you take away our democracy, with your threats and your activities, I can guarantee you that.”
Later he told the Sinn Féin President that her approach to international affairs was wrong. If she became Taoiseach she would “hector people” at high-level meetings, “point the finger, walk out, hold a press conference, issue a press release, and make yourself look good – but without achieving anything for Ireland, or the Palestinians.”
To Sinn Féin calls for Israel to the referred to the International Criminal Court, he said: “There's already an investigation underway. It's been underway for several years now. Referring Israel to the International Criminal Court at this stage, when investigations are already underway, will be akin to reporting an alleged crime to the Gardaí several years into the investigation.
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