LAST UPDATE | 18 Nov 2023

THERE WERE EMOTIONAL scenes in Dublin Airport this afternoon as Irish-Palestinians who fled Gaza arrived from Egypt.

Their arrival comes following confirmation from the Department of Foreign Affairs this morning that an additional 24 Irish citizens and dependents left Gaza via the Rafah crossing last night.

In a statement the Department said this brings to 50 the number of Irish citizens and dependants assisted to leave Gaza in recent days.

The statement read: “Only small numbers of citizens or accompanying dependants who have expressed a wish to leave remain in Gaza.

“The Department remains in contact in each case and will continue to work consistently with the relevant authorities to ensure they are able to leave Gaza as soon as possible.”

This morning’s news comes after Tánaiste Micheál Martin said that 25 Irish citizens made the journey to the Rafah border crossing yesterday. 

The Journal has asked the Department for Foreign Affairs why only 24 citizens were confirmed to have crossed out of Gaza.

A spokesperson for the Department said it does not comment on the detail of individual cases.

Dublin Airport

Meanwhile, at Dublin Airport this afternoon there were emotional scenes as families and friends reunited with loved ones as the Irish citizens to flee Gaza arrived today from Egypt.

RTÉ reported that among them was Ibraham Alagha and his family.

Ibraham’s brother Abdullah Alagha, from Blanchardstown in Dublin was visibly emotional as he spoke of his joy and relief at seeing his brother arrive home safely.

His wife and a number of other relatives who managed to get through the Rafa crossing are due to arrive in Ireland tomorrow.

Emotional scenes in Dublin Airport as the first Irish citizens to flee Gaza arrive home @rtenews pic.twitter.com/pEpBBQfDdr

— Samantha Libreri (@SamanthaLibreri) November 18, 2023

Speaking in Maynooth this afternoon at the Fine Gael special conference, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said individuals who travelled through the Rafah crossing last night are in Egypt now and are being provided with help and support.

He said Ireland is continuing to work hard at EU and United Nations level to call for a ceasefire and said this would need to be onserved by all sides, not just Israel.

“It has to be observed by Hamas, which started this phase of the conflict and by Islamic Jihad as well. That’s why we’re calling for a ceasefire so that the killing can stop, so that hostages can be released, so that we can get humanitarian aid in and then to begin at some point, talks about peace again.

“Israel and Palestine came close to peace on at least three occasions in my lifetime. That may seem ridiculous now, but you can never give up hope for peace,” the Taoiseach said.