Mid Ulster councillors call for immediate ceasefire and humanitarian aid for the people of Gaza

Speaking after councillors backed the proposal at the monthly meeting, Sinn Féin councillor Cathal Mallaghan said: “Gaza is being destroyed before the eyes of the world as Israel unleashes its full military might on a defenceless population.

“Over 20,000 children, women and men are dead or injured, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians displaced, and countless homes, hospitals and schools turned to rubble.

“A whole population are being denied the most basic of human rights by the Israeli Government, with no proper access to water, food, medicine, and electricity.

"Mid Ulster Council has sent a clear message on the need for immediate ceasefires and safe access for the UN and humanitarian agencies to fulfill their duties.

“There must be immediate humanitarian access to Gaza and adherence to international humanitarian and human rights law.

“Sinn Féin will continue to work with all parties to send a strong message that Ireland is united in opposing the actions of Israel against Palestinian civilians, and to end the occupation, the annexation, the apartheid being inflicted on Palestine.”

Ulster Unionist Party Councillor Trevor Wilson said a true and lasting peace settlement for the Middle East is something that he and his party believe every right-minded person would hope may, one day, be achieved.

He said: "Israel has a duty to protect its citizens and the right to go after those that carried out the mass murder of its citizens.

"Israel, with the support of America, Egypt and others, has indeed allowed the creation of humanitarian corridors to get aid to those who have been displaced due to the horrific actions of Hamas in Israel on October 7 th.

"My party Leader, a man with some experience of the horrors of war, has been very clear that there is an expectation that Israel will act within the recognised conventions in ensuring that innocent Palestinians are protected as much as is possible. A statement both Cllr Graham and myself fully endorsed.

"The unfortunate truth is that there are those across the Middle East who do not want a true and lasting peace, they wish only for the eradication of Israel and of every person living in Israel."