Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said he believes US president Joe Biden's "heart is in the right place" in relation to the violence in Gaza - saying he is "keen to hear" the US president's view on the stand-off.
Mr Varadkar made the comment as he said he will "put across the very strong view of the Irish people that there should be an immediate ceasefire" when he meets president Biden in the coming days.
Speaking to reporters before the Ireland Funds Dinner in Washington DC on Wednesday evening, Mr Varadkar said "the situation in Gaza is catastrophic and of great concern".
Asked if it is likely to be raised during his upcoming meeting at the White House with Mr Biden, the Taoiseach said he wants to hear the US president's concerns.
"The situation in Gaza is catastrophic and of great concern, and I have to say I believe [US] president Biden's heart is in the right place here.
"I know he's working with Egypt, with Qatar, Saudi and other countries in the region like the Jordanians to try and get Israel and Hamas to agree to a ceasefire.
"So I'm keen to hear from him what his perspective is.
"But I also want to put across the very strong view of the Irish people that there should be an immediate ceasefire so the hostages can be released, so the medicine and food that's so desperately needed can get into Gaza, that the killing stops above all.
"We've had 100 years now of conflict between Israel and Arabs in that region, and there's no total victory, there's no military solution to this, I think prime minister Netanyahu is totally wrong about that," Mr Varadkar said.
'Entirely unacceptable'
Earlier, the Taoiseach said that his understanding of the Israeli government's plans for Gaza after a potential ceasefire are "entirely unacceptable".
Speaking in the US, Leo Varadkar said he is reviewing what he will raise with Joe Biden "on a daily basis".
Though he hopes that there is a ceasefire by the time he meets the US President this week, he said that is unlikely.
He added that he would be "encouraging" Mr Biden to "redouble the efforts" that he is making to bring about a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
The Taoiseach said he also wanted to discuss with the US President what would happen afterwards if a ceasefire were reached.
"I think what we're hearing from the Israeli government in terms of what their plans are for Gaza the day after (a ceasefire) are entirely unacceptable," he said on Wednesday.
"It is an occupied territory it's not Israel's right to decide what happens in Gaza, it's an occupied territory.
"America and Europe have a role to play in building a Palestinian state which I think is the only chance that we have of peace and justice."
Healthcare workers urge Taoiseach to press for ceasefire
Over 1,000 Irish healthcare workers have written a letter to the Taoiseach calling on him to use his meeting with the US President this weekend to call for a ceasefire in Gaza.
Irish Healthcare Workers for Palestine (IHWP) says it is asking Mr Varadkar as a leader, doctor and human rights advocate to strongly and unequivocally demand an immediate ceasefire and the immediate provision of adequate lifesaving aid to the people of Gaza.
Mr Varadkar is to hold talks with President Joe Biden on Friday and will meet him again on St Patrick’s Day for the traditional shamrock ceremony at the White House.
IHWP is a multidisciplinary network of healthcare professionals from across Ireland who advocate for Palestinians rights to health and the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.
The group said Mr Varadkar is in a unique position to save lives and to put an end to the suffering.
The letter, signed by almost 1,200 registered healthcare professionals from across Ireland, is for the attention of all TDs.
Professor Veronica O’Keane, a retired consultant psychiatrist, said there was a strong feeling among healthcare workers that they needed to support their colleagues in Gaza.
"This has galvanised everybody, there’s a huge healthcare movement internationally, I mean the whole world is stunned, not just by targeting, but by the justification of the targeting of the healthcare system there," Prof O'Keane said.
"As a psychiatrist, one of the issues we’re deeply concerned about is the sort of extremism that the sort of trauma that’s happening there can breed for the future.
"As the minutes tick by, more and more people are starving and we have to do something about it."
Speaking in advance of the visit to Washington, Mr Varadkar said he would "raise the concerns of the Irish people on the shocking crisis in Gaza, reiterating our call for an immediate and sustainable ceasefire to facilitate a massive increase in the humanitarian aid that can reach desperate people and the immediate and unconditional release of the remaining hostages".
"I will be emphasising that a peaceful and secure future for all people in the region can come only from a two-state solution, with Israel living side-by-side in peace with a fully-fledged State of Palestine," Mr Varadkar said.
Labour Party leader Ivana Bacik accepted the letter outside the Dáil.
"I think we need a stronger statement, I welcomed the Taoiseach’s statement from America, but I do think we need to go further, we need to be using every lever at our disposal to put pressure on ... a Democratic president in America to call out Israel to ensure there is a ceasefire, to withdraw support for Israel until there is a ceasefire," she said.
"To see [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu literally defying weak calls from America shows the need now for President Biden to come out stronger, and indeed for our Taoiseach and our Government to come out and put stronger pressure on the US government ... because what we’re seeing is outrageous."
Additional reporting: Juliette Gash
