Civilians on boats should not be needed to highlight that children are starving in Gaza, Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Harris has said, adding that the international community needs to "grow a backbone".
Mr Harris also said that he hopes that by the next European Foreign Affairs Council meeting, the European Commission will come forward with proposals for actions and sanctions that can be taken at a European level against Israel in response.
Speaking before Cabinet, Mr Harris said that he had heard a lot of media commentary that the Madleen flotilla was "symbolic" and he agreed that it was, but said that it represented "very important symbolism".
Swedish activist Greta Thunberg said she was "kidnapped" in international waters by Israeli forces, as she arrived in Paris Charles de Gaulle airport after being deported from Israel.
"What it's actually highlighting is that there are people starving in Gaza today," he said.
"You can have all the back and forth about Greta or what the Israelis have said about her or what she has said about them, the point is this; there is a genocide happening. There are children starving today, and the only reason that this is happening is because Israel has a block on food entering Gaza," Mr Harris said.
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"Anything that can be done to make sure the eyes of the world are fixed on Gaza, at a time when the international community is failing to do enough for Gaza and for the children of Gaza, is a good and appropriate thing.
"It shouldn't require flotillas, it shouldn't require civilians getting on boats and trying to highlight this, it should require the international community growing a backbone here and saying stop. Stop the genocide.
"When I attend the next (European) Foreign Affairs Council meeting I really hope and expect that the European Commission won't just tell us that they are continuing to review the Association Agreement with Israel, I expect them to come forward with proposals, actions that we can actually take, sanctions that can be taken at a European level against Israel to say this genocide must stop," Mr Harris said.
His comments come as Israeli gunfire killed at least 17 Palestinians and wounded dozens of others as thousands of displaced people approached an aid distribution site of the US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) in central Gaza, according to local health authorities.
The Israeli military said they are looking into the incident.
Irish aid flotilla 'not possible' - Taoiseach
Responding to a suggestion from Ruth Coppinger, Solidarity-PBP TD that the Irish Navy deliver aid to Gaza, the Taoiseach Michéal Martin said that it "wouldn't be possible" due to the Triple Lock.
"I applaud what the crew on the Madleen did," he said, because they "acknowledge that it was a symbolic gesture".
He also warned that throwing around the term "complicity in genocide" can lead to criminal acts.
He was responding in the Dáil to Sinéad Gibney of the Social Democrats, who said there would be a cross-party bill presented to the Dáil tomorrow calling for an end to the Central Bank facilitating the sale of Israeli War Bonds and asked that Government TDs be given a free vote.
Mr Martin said that the deputy's accusations of Government "complicity in genocide is shocking and wrong".
He said that he respects the deputy's commitment to the issue but repeated she was wrong.
The phrase "complicity in genocide" "is thrown around too cheaply, and violence and criminal acts can emanate from that," he added.
"Certain people out there are already engaged in criminal damage of TD's offices, the Department of Foreign Affairs, because of that handy phrase," he said.
