Stephen Farry MP on need for a ceasefire in Gaza, November 14, 2023

Stephen Farry MP on the need for a ceasefire in Gaza, November 14, 2023

Transcript

00:00 ceasefire. I utterly condemn the actions of Hamas-IR terrorism. However, we must recognise

00:07 that Israel's response has been disproportionate, represents collective punishment and sees

00:12 ongoing breaches of international humanitarian law. I think we have all been deeply touched

00:17 by the images we have seen on our televisions and we know that there is a massive humanitarian

00:23 crisis ongoing in Gaza. Hopefully, we all recognise that there is no military solution

00:29 to this situation. The only way forward lies through Israel and Palestine having freedom

00:37 and security, and indeed the reaching of a political accommodation, notably with a two-state

00:45 solution. Continued death and destruction does not achieve anything. Indeed, it arguably

00:52 makes the situation even harder, because it will only end up compounding people's sense

00:58 of bitterness and feeding extremism. It also risks wider regional escalation.

01:05 A ceasefire, and part of that has to be the release of hostages and humanitarian access,

01:11 requires a collective international effort, as does a renewed peace process, which should

01:17 follow from any initial ceasefire. Hopefully, I can speak with some degree of authority

01:24 on peace processes, given my experiences in Northern Ireland.