The case of an Irish-Israeli girl who is feared kidnapped in Gaza has been raised with the Palestinian Authority, an ambassador has said.
The Palestinian ambassador to Ireland said that she raised the case of eight-year-old Emily Hand after a meeting with Irish parliamentarians to discuss the Israel-Hamas war.
Dr Jilan Abdalmajid said that the humanitarian conditions that people in the Gaza Strip are facing is a “catastrophe”, and called for a ceasefire.
In an interview with the PA news agency, she said that if the US called for the war to stop, it would change the course of the conflict, and she pointed out the role US figures had in brokering a peace deal in Northern Ireland.
The situation is horrific, it's a catastrophe. In every single description of what's going on now, it's a genocide— Dr Jilan Abdalmajid
Dr Abdalmajid also said that marches in support of Palestine gave them hope for the future.
She said she had highlighted the case of Emily Hand, whose family were initially told she had died in the October 7 attack by Hamas militants, before it emerged this week that she may be among around 200 hostages taken to Gaza.
“I managed to communicate with the Palestinian leadership talking about this, and said that some of the Irish parliamentarians asked if we can do anything about this,” Dr Abdalmajid told PA.
“I took the message, and I delivered the message to the Palestinian leadership,” she said, confirming that this means the Palestinian Authority.
“I hope that all the civilians will be protected. I hope that the peace and security will prevail in the region.”
The ambassador was speaking a month after the attack on Israel in which thousands of rockets were launched and militants killed 1,400 civilians, including over 200 mostly young adults at a music festival.
Israel has responded with missile attacks on Gaza and a blockade on the war-torn enclave, as part of an operation to target Hamas’s leaders and operations.
An estimated 10,000 people have been killed and aid agencies have warned that low supplies of food, water and medicines are creating an unprecedented humanitarian crisis.
“The situation is horrific, it’s a catastrophe. In every single description of what’s going on now, it’s a genocide,” Dr Abdalmajid said.
Seven of her family members have been killed, and in recent days she has lost contact with others, which she said is the story of anyone with relatives in Gaza.
“These collective punishments that Israel (is) imposing on the Palestinians in Gaza, it amounts to war crimes.
“I don’t know for how long the Israelis will continue to onslaught and bombard Gaza and kill civilians.
“It’s a failure of the international community. It’s really a failure. It’s failure of their humanity.
“More than 10,000 people and all of them are civilians, 73% of the people who are killed are children, the elderly, women – are they the target of Israel?”
Asked about how much support there is among Palestinians for the Hamas attack on October 7, the ambassador replied “there are no people now to ask”.
I think when the Americans helped the Irish and the British in the Good Friday Agreement, it was a big achievement for peace— Dr Abdalmajid
“At this time, the only thing that I can say (is) that the people of Palestine are united, defending ourself from this onslaught, aggressions. We’re trying to be united to give the whole world one voice – that this is a political cause and it’s a just cause.”
When asked to condemn the attack by Hamas militants on Israeli civilians, she said: “We reject the killings of (the) innocent, of civilians. This is not our morals.
“It’s very important that this voice (is heard) – that we reject all kinds of killings. We are human beings and we feel that it’s a very difficult situation.
“On the other side, when I look at my people, innocent people are killed… It’s very hard to say anything except that Israel is the one that should be condemned. This is how I see it, and this is how our people see it.”
When asked if it would help in the progress towards peace to express sympathy to her Israeli counterpart on the month’s anniversary of the Hamas attack, the ambassador said: “The progress will be when Israel stop this war against the Palestinians.
“This is the most important thing – that there should be a ceasefire, this war should stop, the killings of Palestinian civilians should stop. Then there is another way of proceeding.”
Dr Abdalmajid said that if the US changed its position in supporting Israel, that it would “of course” have a big impact on the conflict.
She said that US President Joe Biden and US secretary of state Antony Blinken visited Israel in the past month to support its right to defend itself, while “ignoring the same rights of defenceless Palestinians”.
“I know if the Americans said that this war should stop”, that it would “definitely” change the conflict, she said.
Asked whether the Northern Ireland peace process offered a path forward for Israel-Palestine, she pointed out that the US helped broker the Good Friday Agreement.
“I always (think) about the peace in the region, and the peace that could be. The only way for the Palestinians and Israelis to live side by side (is) in a two-state solution that is supported by the international community. To prevail, much effort should be done (to give Palestinians the same rights as Israelis).
“I think when the Americans helped the Irish and the British in the Good Friday Agreement, it was a big achievement for peace.
“So there should be a real effort put (into) the Palestinians and Israelis in the Middle East.”
Asked about protest marches in support of Palestine, the ambassador said that they “give us hope for the future”.
“It gives us hope that people still know where is the right and where is the wrong and they protest for the justice. So these voices give us hope for the future.”
