TAOISEACH MICHEÁL MARTIN has told the Dáil that the Israeli government is committing genocide in Gaza, in his strongest condemnation of Israel’s actions to date.

He made the comments during Leaders’ Questions today in response to Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald, who asked if the Government will take action to stop the Irish Central Bank facilitating the sale of Israeli bonds in the EU. 

The Government is not supporting a bill put forward by Sinn Féin on the matter. Defending that decision, the Taoiseach said: 

“The focus must be relentlessly on the policies of Prime Minister Netanyahu and the Israeli Government, which is made up of extreme far-right elements, who are committing genocide in Gaza right now. Let us call a spade a spade.”

Later during the session, Social Democrats acting leader Cian O’Callaghan pointed to the fact that the Taoiseach has “recognised that what is happening in Gaza is genocide” and said Ireland has a legal obligation under the genocide convention to do “everything we can” to stop genocide.

The Taoiseach’s comments today come as Israeli strikes on Gaza continue.

Yesterday, the health ministry in Gaza said that at least 3,822 people had been killed in the territory since Israel broke a ceasefire on 18 March.

Asked again by reporters this afternoon about the Government’s opposition to Sinn Féin’s bill on the Israeli bonds, the Taoiseach said the war in Gaza is a “genocide at this stage”. 

“Particularly in terms of the attack on entire families. And we witnessed that recently with a family of nine children being massacred. It’s a slaughter that must stop,” he said. 

The Taoiseach has previously said, in November last year, that Israel’s actions in Gaza are “genocidal” and more recently said that Israel is committing war crimes.

He made the war crimes comment earlier this month in relation to Israel’s siege of the Gaza strip. 

“Israel’s continuing humanitarian blockade is pushing Gaza closer to a hunger crisis,” Martin said at the time.

“This must be lifted immediately. It is simply wrong in principle and in law to inflict hunger and suffering on a civilian population, whatever the circumstances. This behaviour clearly constitutes a war crime.”