President Higgins urges EU presidents to speak up on Gaza, calling silence a 'moral failing'

PRESIDENT MICHAEL D Higgins has asked other European presidents to call for action to end the suffering in Gaza, saying silence on the issue would be a “moral failing”.

President Higgins urged his fellow presidents to call for an end to the loss of life of civilians, the unconditional release of all hostages, and the provision of full unimpeded access to aid for those suffering.

The President made the plea in a letter to the Arraiolos group, an informal group of European Presidents, which considers responses to societal challenges and promotes multilateralism.

He said: “The Arraiolos Group has a strong voice and leadership role to offer in relation to what is happening in Gaza. Silence, failure to take an initiative will be rightly construed as a moral failure.”

The Israeli military today began a second day of its daily “tactical pause” in three areas of Gaza, in what it claims is an effort to ease the worsening humanitarian crisis.

President Higgins condemned the “unacceptable violence” and avoidable loss of civilian life in Gaza.

He said said the 7 October 2023 attack on Israel by Hamas was “rightly condemned” by all member states and asked fellow presidents not to remain silent now.

He said: “We were not silent and called for the unconditional release of all hostages. While Israel has a right to defend itself, we cannot let that horrific event provide a licence or cover for the totally unacceptable loss of life, including from malnutrition and dehydration by infants and mothers that is now being perpetrated in Gaza.”

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The President highlighted the food insecurity Gaza is currently facing, with over 80% of cropland and 83% of agricultural wells having been destroyed.

He condemned the deaths of civilians, adding that over 1,000 Palestinians, mainly children, have been killed while seeking to collect aid.

He said 80 children have died of malnutrition and 20,000 mothers in Gaza are being subjected to conditions of dehydration and malnutrition.

He added that least 1,580 medical personnel have lost their lives, with a further 180 in Israeli detention centres.

The President quoted Pope Leo XIV’s condemnation of this assault on civilian life and his call on the international community to respond with the urgency these issues demand.

He endorsed the three urgent steps called for by the Secretary General of the United Nations, António Guterres: an immediate ceasefire, the unconditional release of all hostages, and full, unimpeded humanitarian access.

He commended the Foreign Ministers who have recently come together to call for an end to the violence and loss of life.

President Higgins has sent the letter to each of the members of the Arraiolos Group.

The group is made up of the presidents of Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia and Slovenia.

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