Smoke rises following an Israeli strike on Gaza, seen from the Israel-Gaza border.

Smoke rises following an Israeli strike on Gaza, seen from the Israel-Gaza border.

CAMPAIGNERS FROM THE Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign, the Irish Anti-War Movement and other groups are staging a rally in Dublin city centre today to protest the ongoing Israeli action in Gaza.

Dozens have been killed in military strikes on targets in the Gaza Strip since Israel launched ‘Operation Protective Edge’ to halt rocket fire from the besieged territory on Tuesday.

It’s Israel’s largest operation against Gaza since 2012.

In a statement on Wednesday, outgoing Foreign Affairs Minister Eamon Gilmore said he was “gravely concerned” by the escalating violence.

He added:

I condemn unreservedly the indiscriminate firing of rockets into Israel which pose such a grave threat to the population. I equally condemn the mounting civilian casualties, including reportedly women and children, resulting from Israeli air strikes against Gaza.

Freda Hughes of the IPSC said the the campaign group condemned the actions of the Israeli state, which she described as disproportionate and amounting to “collective punishment of a captive population”.

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Hughes also called on the Irish Government and the EU “to pressure Israel to both immediately cease its bombing and aggression against the Palestinian people of Gaza, and to work towards a ceasefire agreement with Palestinian armed groups”.

Trade Union Friends of Palestine, Academics for Palestine and other groups will also be represented at today’s rally, which begins at 2pm at the Spire on Dublin’s O’Connell Street.