Irish family in Gaza expected to be on list to exit at Rafah crossing on Wednesday

The Government has been informed that at least one Irish family is expected to be on the list to leave Gaza on Wednesday at the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt if it is open.

More Irish citizens might also have an opportunity to leave in the next 24 hours, a source said.

A number of people were told on Tuesday evening they could be on the list and were advised to make their way toward the Rafah gate, The Irish Times understands.

The news came as Tánaiste Micheál Martin departed on Tuesday for Cairo from where he will travel to Israel and meet Israeli government representatives, and on to the West Bank. Mr Martin will meet the Egyptian foreign minister Sameh Shoukry on Wednesday.

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On Tuesday, the family of Emily Hand, the Irish-Israeli girl thought to be captive in Gaza, met President Michael D Higgins at Áras an Uachtaráin.

The girl’s father Thomas Hand, sister Natali, and representatives of several other people abducted by Hamas on October 7th attended the meeting, along with the Israeli ambassador to Ireland Dana Erlich.

In a statement following the meeting, Mr Higgins said: “What the families are going through in terms of anxiety and apprehension must be near unbearable, including in Emily Hand’s case that her father and sister know that she will be celebrating her ninth birthday while being held hostage. The welfare of all children and civilians in Israel and Gaza should be in the forefront of all of our minds at this time. In our meeting, we discussed what actions can be taken to help ensure the safe return of the hostages to their families.

“To this end, I once again call for the unconditional release of all hostages currently being held in Gaza. I further echo the call which the families have made that the Red Cross/Red Crescent, or another appropriate organisation, must be given such access to the hostages as will enable their present position to be affirmed. I have assured the families that I will relay the importance of this request to the Irish Government.”

The statement said Mr Higgins also underlined the need for international law to be respected by all sides and emphasised the importance of the loss of civilian life being brought to an end as soon as possible and for children, in particular, to be protected.

The Social Democrats have criticised Mr Martin’s trip to Israel in light of its ongoing bombardment of the Gaza Strip.

“Is there any other state which would be engaged in what’s being described as an impending genocide where the Tánaiste would go visiting and shake their hands, all the while hospitals are being burned and broken and bombed?” asked the party’s foreign affairs spokesman Gary Gannon on Tuesday morning.

He said he understood that the Tánaiste’s role was to try and find diplomatic solutions and he wasn’t going to criticise that. “But I also don’t want to stand back and be a useful apologist for what is happening in Gaza.”

He called on Mr Martin to press the Israelis on why Irish citizens were not being permitted to leave Gaza, saying he believed Ireland was being punished for voting in favour of a ceasefire in the conflict at the UN General Assembly.

Mr Martin and Taoiseach Leo Varadkar have previously rejected this suggestion.

The Social Democrats are calling for the use of human rights clauses within the EU-Israel trade agreement, and for the Government to enact both the occupied territories and divestment Bills, which would put new limitations on trade and investment in Israel.

The party is also asking for the revocation of diplomatic status to the Israeli ambassador here.

“Somebody has to start somewhere in terms of calling for sanctions and if that has to be us then so be it,” he said, arguing that Ireland had “proud traditions” of going “a bit further” in similar situations.

Labour housing spokeswoman Rebecca Moynihan said there was a need for an emergency medical evacuation of those in Al Shifa Hospital in Gaza, who she said were being used as a “weapon of war” by Israel.

She said there was “misinformation” that the hospital was a Hamas stronghold which should not be acceptable to the international community.

People Before Profit TD Bríd Smith, alongside her colleague Gino Kenny, will travel to the Rafah crossing between Egypt and Gaza this weekend to observe and highlight the humanitarian situation there. They called for a free vote in the Dáil on two votes seeking to censure Israel this week.

Thomas and Natali Hand also met Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald on Tuesday after meeting the Taoiseach and the Tánaiste as part of their visit to Ireland.

In a statement following their meeting, Ms McDonald said the trauma and heartbreak being endured by the Hand family is “unbearable”.

Calling for “full ceasefires”, Ms McDonald said: “I reiterate my condemnation of the taking of hostages and again reiterate our clear demand that hostages be released immediately. Emily will have her ninth birthday on Friday. She should be celebrating that birthday with her father, sister, brother and wider family.

“Ireland must make every effort and use every political and diplomatic channel to secure Emily’s release and that of all hostages. Full ceasefires must be called.”