TAOISEACH LEO VARADKAR has said support for Israel will “fall apart” if the country goes “too far” with their response to violence from Hamas.

Speaking on RTÉ’s Nine O’Clock news this evening, Varadkar said he was “horrified” by what was happening in Israel and Palestine. 

Varadkar said: “From Ireland’s point of view we are saying to Israel, ‘Yes, you’ve the right to defend yourself, you’re surrounded by enemies who want to end your existence, but any response must be proportionate,’.”

“There’s a lot of solidarity internationally for Israel at the moment. I believe that will fall apart if Israel goes too far in terms of its actions in Gaza.

“And there’s a risk then of violence flaring up in the West Bank, in Lebanon, other places. So we’re very much calling for restraint,” the Taoiseach added.

Earlier today, Israeli soldiers took back control of areas including Kfar Aza, around 5km east of Gaza. Hamas militants overran the kibbutz on Saturday, where many Israelis were killed and taken captive.

The death-toll has now exceeded 1,000. Nearly 190,000 people have been displaced in Gaza since the escalation of the conflict, according to the United Nations.

A number of attacks carried out by Palestinian militant group, Hamas, took place over the weekend, as the terrorist group attempted to take over areas of Israel, close to the Gaza Strip.

Since then, Israel has unleashed all-out war on the militant group and has also started a bombing campaign on Gaza, the compact home to 2.3 million Palestinian people – one of the most densely populated areas in the world.

Varadkar said: “We’re particularly concerned for an Irish-Israeli citizen, Kim Danti. We don’t know whether or not she’s still alive, we certainly hope she is, and we’ll help in any way that we can,” he added.

22-year-old Kim Damti remains unaccounted for, having been attending a music festival when Hamas carried out a bloody mass-shooting on the event, which was attended by hundreds of young Israelis and foreigners near Kibbutz Reim, close to Gaza.

Speaking to US outlet ABC News from her home in Tel Aviv, her mother, Jennifer, described waiting to hear news about her daughter.

“You can’t sleep. All I can think about is where she is, if she’s suffering, if she’s still alive. I just want her back,” she said. 

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