Published: Tue, 01 July 2025
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Sean Kelly, MEP for Ireland South and Leader of Fine Gael in the European Parliament, has said that while broader regional instability in the Middle East is alarming, Europe must not lose sight of the ongoing humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza.
“We are at a dangerous juncture,” Kelly said. “The escalation between Israel and Iran has rightly raised alarm bells, but it cannot be used as a smokescreen to cover what is still happening, every day, in Gaza.”
“The reality is this: civilians in Gaza are still being killed indiscriminately. Humanitarian aid is still being blocked. Children are still starving. These are not background details in some wider geopolitical drama – they are atrocities in their own right,” Kelly continued.
“We need to show leadership, not through airstrikes or threats, but through diplomacy, pressure, and principled action. Dialogue must replace destruction,” he stated.
While acknowledging the growing risks of regional spill-over, Kelly urged that restraint and de-escalation must be the immediate focus. “This isn’t just about Israel and Iran – it’s about preventing an all-out regional war that would have devastating consequences far beyond the Middle East.”
“But lets clear: Gaza cannot be pushed to the side. The suffering there is not just an unfortunate side-effect of conflict – it is the direct result of choices being made on the ground,” Kelly said.
He praised the Irish Government’s recent steps in response to the crisis. “Ireland is showing what leadership looks like. The moves on illegal settlement goods and the Tánaiste’s push for meaningful legislation – these are not symbolic. These are acts of real political courage.”
Kelly also called on the European Union to live up to its principles. “We cannot be the EU of values in name only. If we say we care about human rights, then breaches must carry consequences. The EU-Israel Association Agreement cannot continue without accountability.”
“Yes, we must work to prevent further escalation across the Middle East,” Kelly concluded. “But we cannot – and must not – look away from Gaza. Doing so now would be a betrayal not just of the people of Gaza, but of everything this Union claims to stand for.”
