‘Final push’ under way to evacuate Irish citizens and dependents from Gaza

The “final push” is under way to evacuate up to 70 Irish citizens and dependents from the Gaza Strip, after Tánaiste Micheál Martin pressed Israeli, Palestinian and Egyptian leaders to help them leave the war-torn territory.

“There will be a significant number coming out today,” Martin said in Cork yesterday, indicating all Irish nationals and family members could be out of Gaza by Sunday.

“That is our hope – and, again, one can’t be definitive here, and we’re doing everything we can to support families and their dependents.”

The Tánaiste had arrived in Dublin in the early hours of Friday from two hectic days of talks in southern Israel, Tel Aviv, Ramallah and Cairo. The mood was grim in each location, with little prospect of a breakthrough to halt the violence.

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Despite whispers of a deal to exchange Israeli hostages for Hamas prisoners, the release of any prominent Palestinian militants remains highly risky for Binyamin Netanyahu’s war government because of public anger over the October 7th attack in which 1,200 Israelis were killed.

Martin’s whistlestop tour marked the culmination of an intensive diplomatic drive with several Middle Eastern powers to bring Irish citizens and dependents into Egypt from Gaza.

“Each network would have been tapped and tapped hard over a number of weeks,” said a senior Irish figure, describing moves behind the scenes to secure the evacuation.

About 25 Irish nationals and those close to them were being processed on Friday through the Rafah crossing, near the southernmost tip of Gaza. They bring the number of departures to 51, from a total between 60 and 70 people listed to leave because of their Irish connections.

The first Irish assessments had established up to 40 citizens and dependents were in line to leave. But the number soon rose, as Irish nationals in Gaza pressed to bring more family members with them. There was also pressure from some Irish-based doctors and other Irish residents to bring family members out.

Amid fear of regional escalation in the Israel-Hamas war, this was a complex endeavour fraught with danger. Any abrupt setback delaying departure could lead to the loss of life.

Contacts with the Israelis were acutely sensitive given their control of the Gaza frontier with Egypt. “At the end of the day Israel holds the key to open the gate or not,” the senior Irish figure said.

Crucial also were engagements with Egypt itself, with Irish diplomats there a key point of contact for people hoping to leave Gaza. To be put on the daily evacuation list, people had to prove Irish citizenship or dependency and prepare paperwork. The embassy in Cairo organised buses from Rafah and medical aid.

But as the Israel-Hamas war intensified, the diplomatic effort aligned with a parallel campaign for the release of kidnapped Irish-Israeli girl Emily Hand.

She turned nine on Friday, six weeks after her abduction when Hamas militants stormed Israel. More than 100 people in her kibbutz were killed. She was feared dead but declared kidnapped after no DNA evidence of her death was found after October 7th.

Finding a way to liberate some 240 hostages captured that day remains a priority for Israel in its battle against Hamas. As pressure grows on Netanyahu, the families of captives and thousands of supporters marched towards Jerusalem on Friday to demand their release.

Given Emily Hand’s abduction, the question immediately arose in Irish engagements with Israel as to whether Dublin could do anything to help.

Although the Government rejected Opposition demands to expel Israel’s ambassador to Ireland over the war, there is often friction in the relationship with Tel Aviv because of Irish support for the Palestinians in their long campaign to establish their own state.

Still, that position gives Ireland credibility with other Middle Eastern powers. At issue in recent weeks was whether Dublin could help to nudge countries with connections to Hamas and its affiliates to use whatever influence they might have in the push for Emily Hand’s release.

Given simultaneous pressure from Dublin on Israel to allow Irish citizens out of Gaza, diplomats from the two countries worked towards mutual interests. One informed source described the engagement as follows: “If you can help, we can help, but we want something in return.”

That effort finally bore fruit on Tuesday when the Irish first nationals and dependents were put on the list to leave Gaza on Wednesday, clearing the way for 23 people to leave that day and another three on Thursday.

When he was in Cairo on Wednesday for talks with Egypt’s foreign minister, Sameh Shoukry, and Arab League leaders, the Tánaiste said Emily Hand should be included in “the first release of hostages” in any deal.

“The Egyptian authorities have been pretty helpful here and have a very good overview, given their past experience in negotiating ceasefires between Hamas and Israel,” he said.

Martin went on to cite Irish contacts with Qatar, Iran and the Palestinian Authority, each of which have their own connections to Hamas and people close to it.

More than 12,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s bombardment of Gaza, with pressure growing daily for a way out of the crowded enclave for anyone with the right to leave. With the UN warning of the “immediate possibility” of starvation in the territory, the short-term future is bleak.