TÁNAISTE MICHEÁL MARTIN has called for a “humanitarian pause” in Gaza to allow essential aid to be delivered to suffering civilians.

The Fianna Fáil leader, who is also Minister for Foreign Affairs and Defence, is in Luxembourg for a meeting of the EU’s Foreign Affairs Council.

The Council is meeting to discuss the wars between Israel and Hamas and Russia and Ukraine, as well as the conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia.

The Tánaiste said there would be a focus in the meeting on the application of international humanitarian law and on the “plight of Gazans in terms of their everyday needs”, as well as getting “onto a political track in terms of resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian question”.

“We understand Israel’s need to deal with Hamas because was an appalling attack but the degree of suffering now that innocent civilians in Gaza are suffering is not acceptable at all and that’s why we believe a humanitarian pause is required to at a minimum get aid and supplies in there.”

He shared details of a phone call he had with the foreign affairs minister of Iran, saying his message to the country was that a regional escalation of violence must be avoided.

“He indicated that he had been to Lebanon and to Syria in the immediate aftermath of the Hamas attack and he was indicating the potential of an escalation,” Martin said.

“I made it clear to him that he should use his influence over key actors here to urge restraint and to use that influence to prevent such an escalation,” he said.

Iran will say it doesn’t have control over Hezbollah or influence over Hezbollah or Hamas but the world views it differently and I am of the opinion that they do.

“I think for innocent civilians all round – Lebanon is in no situation to withstand a conflict at this stage, given the perilous state it is already in economically and socially.

“Civilians and young people lose in war [...] There is an absolute imperative to avoid regional escalation here.”