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IRELAND WILL PROVIDE an additional €6 million in humanitarian aid for people in Gaza, Tánaiste Simon Harris today announced.
This contribution brings Ireland’s support for the people of Palestine since October 2023 to more than €89 million.
Meanwhile, Harris said it is “highly unlikely at this stage” that Ireland’s support will see Irish peacekeepers deployed to the region.
“It’s very clear that it’s a long way to go to the next steps on the peace plan,” Harris told reporters this afternoon.
“Ireland and our peacekeepers always stand ready to serve where there is peace, but at the moment what we’re simply seeing is a cessation of hostilities.
“So I think there’s a long way to go of being able to determine that.”
Harris, who is also the foreign affairs minister, said the most practical assistance Ireland can currently provide is funding and logistics around the provision of humanitarian aid.
He added that the “blockade on humanitarian aid has resulted in famine and untold horror for people in Gaza”.
He described the ceasefire agreement and hostage release as a “ray of hope”.
Harris added that the aid pledged by Ireland will “bring much-needed relief to people, including children, some of whom have never known anything but this horrific war”.
He called on Israel to “do what it can to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid to people in Gaza”.
He also called on the international community to “rally behind efforts to save and rebuild lives that have been shattered by this war”.
Asked about the future of Ireland’s relationship with Israel, Harris said: “Ireland has kept bilateral relations with Israel. We took a decision to keep our Embassy in Tel Aviv – it was the Israeli decision to close their embassy in Ireland – but even they’ve kept an ambassador to Ireland.
“So diplomatic relations continue to exist between the countries – but this is about step by step.
“I mean what has happened – the horrors, the genocide, the famine in Gaza – none of that can be forgotten, none of that can be airbrushed.
“What has happened over the last number of years, the violation of international law. All of that is important and extremely significant.”
Pressed on whether Ireland would proceed with the Occupied Territories Bill, he said: “The Government’s position hasn’t changed in relation to that, the occupied Palestinian territories are still illegally occupied.
“Obviously, if that reality changes, that’s a different situation.”
He added: “But today, and I want to be clear from my perspective, is not a day about saying anything provocative.
“Today is a day about recognising that after the most unbelievable horrors, pain, loss of life, famine conditions, we now see cause for hope.”
Elsewhere, the EU today announced that it would restart its civilian mission to monitor the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt on Wednesday.
Kaja Kallas, the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, today said that the mission “can play an important role in supporting the ceasefire”.
The peace plan requires strong international backing to succeed.
— Kaja Kallas (@kajakallas) October 13, 2025
The EU stands ready to do its part.
On Wednesday, it will restart a civilian mission to monitor the border crossing between Gaza and Egypt.
This mission can play an important role in supporting the ceasefire (2/2)
The civilian mission was established in November 2005 to support the Agreement on Movement and Access between the Government of Israel and the Palestinian Authority.
This Agreement aims to improve the free movement of Palestinians and to open the Rafah crossing on the Gaza-Egypt border.
The mission was suspended in 2007 when Hamas took control of Gaza and entered “standby mode”.
Since 2014, the EU has implemented a long-term project with the Palestinian border authorities to offer training and strategic advice to support preparations for a future return to the crossing.
The Mission at the border was redeployed in January of this year for the first time since 2007 after a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas which allowed for a limited reopening of the crossing.
However, operations ceased again in March due to renewed hostilities.
The EU says the Mission provides a neutral, third-party presence at the Rafah Crossing Point on the Gaza–Egypt border.
The EU adds that the Mission’s role is to help build trust, support coordination among all sides, and contribute to the Palestinian Authority’s ability to manage the crossing effectively.
Kallas today described the release of Israeli hostages as a “major success for diplomacy and a crucial milestone toward peace”.
She added that US president Donald Trump “made this breakthrough possible” but warned that “securing peace in Gaza will be extraordinarily complex”.
“The peace plan requires strong international backing to succeed,” said Kallas. “The EU stands ready to do its part.”
In order to “do its part”, the EU will restart its civilian mission to monitor the border crossing between Gaza and Egypt on Wednesday.
-With additional reporting from Press Association
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