Taoiseach 'horrified' after shots fired near Irish diplomats

Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister) Micheál Martin has said he is "shocked and horrified" after Israeli troops fired warning shots in the vicinity of a diplomatic delegation on a visit to the occupied West Bank.

The delegation included two Irish diplomats based in Ramallah, the Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Harris said.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said the group had "deviated from the approved route", warning shots were fired into the air "to distance them away" and it "regrets the inconvenience caused".

Many countries, some of which had diplomats on the visit, have condemned Israel's actions - including Spain, Egypt, France, Turkey and Italy.

No injuries were reported in the incident, which happened in the city of Jenin, where Israel has been fighting armed Palestinian groups for years.

The Palestinian Authority (PA), which governs parts of the occupied West Bank, has accused the Israeli security forces of deliberately targeting the delegation in a "heinous crime".

Some nations have said they will summon Israeli ambassadors to account for the incident, calling for investigations and explanations from Israel.

The IDF added it would speak to representatives of the nations involved to update them on the result of an internal investigation into the incident.

In a statement, the taoiseach said he "unreservedly condemns this aggressive, intimidatory and violent act".

"This is not and must never be a normal way to behave," he said.

"We, and the international community, will be demanding answers from Israel on exactly how this came to happen and will seek assurances that this will never happen again."

Martin added diplomats play an "important and vital role" and they should never fear "becoming targets".

The tánaiste (deputy PM) and foreign affairs minister said he was "shocked and appalled" by the news.

"This is completely unacceptable and I condemn it in the strongest terms," Harris added.

Harris has been in touch directly with Feilim McLaughlin, the Representative of Ireland to the Palestinian National Authority, to convey his full support, Irish broadcaster RTÉ has reported.

Meanwhile, a senior official in the Department of Foreign Affairs has delivered a démarche - a protest registered through diplomatic channels - to convey the tánaiste's condemnation and concerns to Dana Erlich, Israel's non-resident ambassador to Ireland.

The incident comes amid mounting pressure on the Israeli government over its military actions in Gaza.

After several days of intense bombardment, the IDF launched an expanded offensive on Sunday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said would see ground forces "take control of all areas" of Gaza.

On Wednesday, Netanyahu told reporters "in the end" the Gaza Strip - in its entirety - will be under Israeli security control, and that Hamas will be defeated.

More than 600 people have been killed and 2,000 injured across Gaza over the past week, according to the territory's Hamas-run health ministry.

The United Nations (UN) has said tens of thousands of people have been newly displaced.

Intensified ground operations and new evacuation orders are stretching Gaza's health system beyond breaking point, the head of the World Health Organisation has warned.

Netanyahu - who is sought under an International Criminal Court warrant for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity, which he has dismissed as "antisemitic" - has been under heavy international pressure to end the blockade of Gaza after a respected international survey warned of imminent famine.

On Wednesday, the UN said no aid has yet been distributed in Gaza despite lorries starting to cross the border after an 11-week blockade.

Earlier this week, the UK said it would be suspending trade talks over what it described as Israel's "morally unjustifiable" military escalation in Gaza, with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer describing the situation as "intolerable".

Meanwhile, the EU's foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the bloc would be reviewing its trade agreement with Israel in light of its actions in Gaza.

Earlier on Wednesday, First Minister Michelle O'Neill urged Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to put the "strongest possible political and economic sanctions on Israel".

In a letter, she acknowledged a joint statement issued by the British, French and Canadian governments, but said there is now an "urgent responsibility on world leaders to take serious action", according to PA.

"We need an immediate and meaningful escalation in political and economic sanctions to pressure Israel to halt its military operations and comply with international humanitarian law," she added.

O'Neill said the British government has a "legal and moral obligation" to suspend arms sales when there is a clear risk they could be used "to commit serious violations of international law".

"That threshold has undeniably been crossed."

She added Westminster must impose the sanctions on Israel while it "continues its campaign of terror, horror and war against defenceless citizens".

"Diplomatic condemnation must be matched with decisive action to exert maximum pressure to bring an end to the genocide in Gaza, and ensure accountability for violations of international law," the Sinn Féin deputy leader continued.

"I urge you to show leadership, and to take strong and immediate action.

"The world is watching, and the people of Gaza cannot wait any longer."

Israel launched a military campaign in Gaza in response to Hamas's cross-border attack on 7 October 2023, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage.

At least 53,475 people have been killed in Gaza since then, including 3,340 since the Israeli offensive resumed, according to the territory's health ministry.