Thousands of people are marching through Dublin as part of a National Demonstration for Palestine.
Protestors joined the Irish Anti-War Movement (IAWM) and Ireland Palestine Solidarity Group at the Garden of Remembrance at 1pm and are marching towards Merrion Square.
They are demanding a ceasefire in Gaza for the sixth Saturday in a row.
Footage on social media shows some throwing red paint at the Department of Foreign Affairs in protest.
The Department of Foreign Affairs, Dublin, got a makeover today. pic.twitter.com/FQHcGYtW5s
— Enda Fanning (@EFFanning) November 18, 2023
Speaking from the protest, Labour TD Duncan Smith said there has been “five and a half weeks of attacks on the innocent people of Gaza”.
“Whole cities are being destroyed to the ground, no fuel, no help, no food, no water being allowed,” he said.
“It's an attack the likes of which we’ve never seen before, and Irish people are standing in full solidarity with Palestine.”
Dublin’s heart beats for #Palestine today. Massive turnout at the @ipsc48 National Demonstration.
The message is clear: End the #Gaza_Genocide, end apartheid. Ireland’s support is unwavering 🇵🇸#SolidarityWithPalestine #IrishVoicesForPeace #CeasefireInGazaNOW pic.twitter.com/el62jWlm2d
— Thomas Pringle T.D. (@ThomasPringleTD) November 18, 2023
IAWM Spokesperson Jim Roche said the recent attacks on Al-Shifa Hospital is “a new low for an already depraved Israeli military”.
“It's reached new levels of depravity this week with the Israeli army bombarding and occupying Al-Shifa Hospital,” he said.
“The images coming out of Al-Shifa are just horrific, words fail me.
“How is the world allowing this to happen? Hospitals should not be military zones.”
Fleeing Palestine
The Israel Defence Forces have warned Palestinians to evacuate the southern city of Khan Younis, as it prepares to expand its military offensive in Gaza further south.
Mr Roche said this warning “exposes the true aim of Israel, which is to ethnically cleanse the whole of Palestine”.
“The whole city of Khan Younis, 400,000 people, have to go,” he said.
“Where are they supposed to go? There's nowhere to go – Khan Younis is already overcrowded with people from the North of Gaza.”
A similar demonstration also took place in Cork this afternoon.
Sanctions on Israel
The large demonstration follows heated debate this week over whether to implement sanctions on Israel and expel Ambassador Dana Erlich.
A motion to expel the ambassador, proposed by the Social Democrats, was defeated after the Government parties put forward a countermotion to maintain diplomatic relations with Israel.
Outside Leinster House, thousands attended a protest demanding the Government expel the Israeli Ambassador, including members of opposition parties.
The Palestinian Heath Ministry have reported over 12,000 deaths since October 7, including 4,000 children.
