Campaign Update - we need your voice to the Government

Thank you for supporting our petition. 

We currently have over a thousand signatures, and have supported the campaign with two thousand postcards signed by supporters and sent to the Department of Foreign Affairs. 

We need to use all avenues available to us to demand the safe return of Irish Citizens and Residents’ families from Gaza.

Yesterday a Press Conference was held by Irish Citizens and Residents with family trapped in Gaza, to get the message out to the Irish people and appeal to the Government to do more to secure their safe passage and escape from the horrors taking place.

The testimonials included those from Irish citizens who have still not managed to get out of Gaza via the Rafah crossing into Egypt, and Irish resident Palestinians who are desperately trying to get their loved ones to safety.

Zak Hania’s wife Batoul, spoke about the family being evacuated from north to south Gaza, a journey they had to make on foot, describing the journey from Gaza City to the Rafah crossing as "hell" with the "smell of dead bodies, queueing in hot sun and soldiers putting rifles in the faces of our children".

Zak, an Irish passport holder, remains in the region unable to leave. 

Isra, who is an Irish citizen, is in the same situation, with her husband Muhamed also being prevented from leaving.

Akram and his wife Hanan live in Dublin with their five sons.  Saja, their 26-year-old daughter is trapped in Gaza.  Saja could not come with them when they became Irish Residents as she was over eighteen at the time, and different rules applied to her visa.

Fatin Al Tamimi, who has lived in Ireland for 35 years, is trying to get her sister, Heba, and her family out of Gaza. Heba’s home has already been destroyed in the Israeli bombing. Fatin said “I know my sister is not Irish, but I’m Irish and I want her safety. I want to see her safe. I want to see my nieces and nephews safe. I want them out. So, please, they (Irish Government) don’t have to bring them to Ireland, they don’t have to accommodate them in any way, just give them the right, safe way to leave Gaza desperately for a better life or to survive.”

Nada Musleh’s husband, Abdallah, remains in Gaza, separated from their children in Ireland, and Nour Ashour who has a number of relatives still in Gaza, including her pregnant sister that needs medical help, Aya Al Muhtadi, and their father, Mohammed. 

We also heard from other Irish Palestinian whose families hold visas, yet are being denied their right to cross the Rafah border. 

We request all our supporters to contact their local representatives , councillors, TDs, Senators and the Tainiste/Minister of Foreign Affairs, and demand justice and equality.   The war on Gaza is a horrific humanitarian crisis, yet we are witnessing a double-standard in the action our Government is taking when compared to similar crises elsewhere.