Sinn Féin and Fianna Fáil have become embroiled in a war of words over comments about Gaza made by presidential candidate Jim Gavin.
In an interview recently, the Fianna Fáil candidate said: “It’s unconscionable that the bombing is still taking place when I believe that the military objectives have probably been reached for that military campaign.”
Sinn Féin’s Pearse Doherty said this was a disgraceful way to talk about the brutal slaughter of tens of thousands of men, women and children.
Mr Doherty, who is viewed as a possible presidential candidate himself, called on Mr Gavin to withdraw the comments immediately.
“It’s a genocide, Jim,” he said.
A Fianna Fáil spokesperson accused Sinn Féin of starting a negative campaign because it recognised that Mr Gavin was a strong candidate.
“Jim Gavin was a senior officer in one of the largest civil protection missions of the 21st century. His first reaction is always to focus on saving lives and that’s what his short answer addressed.
“Deputy Doherty’s statement is an example of the type of politics which causes so many people to be cynical.
“Jim Gavin is unequivocal in his condemnation of the Israeli government’s genocidal actions. Hopefully this campaign will be spared this sort of fake outrage and cynical misrepresentation,” they said.
The war in Gaza began following the Hamas-led attack on 7 October 2023, that killed 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and 251 were taken hostage, according to Israeli tallies.
Israel’s retaliatory war in Gaza has killed over 64,000 people, also mostly civilians, according to local health authorities, and reduced the Palestinian enclave to rubble.
Last month, the United Nations declared famine in parts of Gaza, warning that 500,000 people face “catastrophic” conditions.