Higgins says some in international community remain 'silent' on 'horror' unfolding in Gaza

However, he said some members of the international community had been "silent" on the matter, allowing their messages about the conflict to be "ambiguous in construction."  

The international community, he said, had "a responsibility to commit to vindicating international law."

"This is needed to give credibility to what is a much-invoked multilateralism," he said.

"Not to do so is to accede to little less than the granting of impunity to those involved in a conflict.

"Those in the international community who are anxious to support international law, see it vindicated in its fullest sense, including the Geneva Convention, must press for an independent verification of the facts."

The President said that, amid the mounting civilian casualties in Gaza, it was important that the lives lost were "not reduced to competing press releases."

He also hit out at breaches of international law by both "State and non-State actors".

"The enlistment of civilians for military purposes on any side has to be recognised and addressed," he said. 

 "If international law is to respected, it is important that hostages be released and an immediate humanitarian ceasefire be put in place.

Collective punishment is not something we can accept and claim to be advocates of international law. 

The President said it was "simply unacceptable" that hospitals in Gaza, and those being cared for within them, were being "threatened by the basic lack of resources, damaged or indeed threated with destruction, or those within them forced to be evacuated."

He went on to state that he was proud of the work being done Irish NGOs in "responding to the present horror that is unfolding in Gaza."

"Great acts of courage and humanity are taking place in the worst of circumstances," he said. 

"One can only admire the extraordinary courage and commitment of the medical personnel who, while enduring unimaginable difficulties, are staying with those for whom they care, putting their own lives at risk."

The President added that a solution to the conflict needed to be found to deliver "a reasonable security" to Israeli citizens and to deliver the "long-neglected rights" of the Palestinian people. 

Last month, President Higgins strongly condemned comments made by European Union President Ursula von der Leyen during a trip to Israel. 

He said that Ms von der Leyen "wasn’t speaking for Ireland" when she expressed her unqualified support for Israel.