Tánaiste welcomes scheduled arrival of 15 Palestinians from Gaza

The Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Simon Harris TD, has announced the imminent arrival in Ireland of a further 15 Palestinians from Gaza. They are all holders of long-stay visas who had been unable to exit Gaza without assistance.

The Tánaiste said: “I welcome the arrival of these Palestinian young people to Ireland and wish them every success during their time here.

“Evacuations from Gaza are complex operations requiring close cooperation, and detailed planning across multiple organisations, led by our Consular and Embassy teams.

“I am extremely concerned about the escalation of Israel’s offensive in Gaza which will only lead to more loss of life, more starvation, and an even greater distance from any hope of peace.

“Ireland has consistently called for an urgent ceasefire, the release of all hostages, for humanitarian aid to flow and for a concerted effort to bring about a two-State solution. I will attend the UN General Assembly next week and the situation in Gaza will be top of my agenda.”

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, including its Embassies in the region have worked closely with the relevant authorities to ensure that the group could make this journey.

Since the beginning of the crisis in Gaza, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has supported the travel of more than 200 people from Gaza to Ireland.

Exit from Gaza is dependent on receipt of a number of permissions from the relevant authorities. While the decision to grant or deny these permissions rests outside the control of the Government of Ireland, the Department will continue to seek authorisations on behalf of individuals with valid visas for travel to Ireland.