Statement from the Tánaiste on the confirmation of famine in Gaza

The Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Simon Harris TD, will meet fellow Foreign Ministers in Copenhagen this week where he will be seeking concrete actions from the EU in response to the catastrophic situation in Gaza.

He said Israel is in clear breach of its human rights obligations under the Association Agreement and pointed to the very significant and alarming findings of the Famine Review Committee of the Integrated Food Security Classification System (IPC). The committee has determined that Famine (IPC Phase 5) is currently occurring in Gaza Governorate and is projected to spread further across the Gaza Strip in the coming weeks.

The Tánaiste said: “The scenes that we are witnessing in Gaza and the now famine conditions that families are facing is nothing short of catastrophic.

“Famine is a spectre no Irish person can endure. People in Ireland, and across the world, will not turn a blind eye. I along with my EU counterparts, are calling once again on Israel to completely and immediately lift its blockade and allow the full resumption of humanitarian aid, in line with humanitarian principles, into Gaza. All hostages must be released. There needs to be an immediate and permanent ceasefire.

“This week I will travel to Copenhagen where I will meet fellow EU Foreign Ministers and call for concrete action against Israel for the genocide being committed against the people of Gaza.

“We must now move to:

- Pass the Israeli Settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (Prohibition of Importation of Goods) Bill. I now have the Oireachtas Committee Report and can move forward.

- Work at an EU and UN level and with like-minded Arab countries to seek a ceasefire, hostages released and a surge in humanitarian aid.

- Seek real sanction measures from the EU on Israel following the review of the Association Agreement which found clear breaches of human rights clauses.

- Continue to increase our funding to programmes like the World Food Programme. We have done so recently and will do more.

- Advance a National Day of Solidarity for Gaza and encourage other countries to do likewise.”

Note to Editors

Full report of the Famine Review Committee of the Integrated Food Security Classification System available on: https://www.ipcinfo.org/fileadmin/user_upload/ipcinfo/docs/IPC_Famine_Review_Committee_Report_Gaza_Aug2025.pdf

• According to the FAO State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI) 2024 in 2023 2.33 billion, 28.9 % of the global population, were moderately or severely food insecure and of this 864 million, 10.7 % of the global population, were severely food insecure.
• Conflict and insecurity, economic shocks and weather extremes continue to drive humanitarian crises, resulting in adverse hunger and malnutrition for millions of people. Furthermore, conflicts in Sudan, Gaza, Yemen and Syria have placed millions of people there at a high risk of famine.

Food systems and the right to food

• Respect and promotion of human rights is a cornerstone of Irish foreign policy and our international development programme.
• Ireland recognises the importance of using a human rights framework in addressing food systems transformation as it provides normative and policy guidance to the design of resilient and people-centred food systems, prioritising the most vulnerable and marginalized groups.
• Ireland recognises the human right to adequate food and the fundamental right to be free from hunger in line with relevant provisions in international law.
• Ireland acknowledges the fact that ensuring food and nutrition security from a human rights based approach requires action in multiple dimensions. These include improving the governance of food systems; inclusive and responsible investments in agriculture and rural areas, in health and education; empowering small producers; and strengthening social protection mechanisms for risk reduction.

Funding for Palestine

• Ireland has provided over €95 million in support to the people of Palestine since January 2023. This includes €58 million to UNRWA of which €20 million was provided in February 2025. Over €82 million of Ireland’s support has been provided since October 2023.
• Over €29 million has been provided so far in 2025.