Ulster Unionist Party Deputy Leader and spokesperson for Children and Young People, Robbie Butler MLA said, “As the conflict in the Middle East deepens, the suffering of innocent people — Israeli and Palestinian alike — cannot be ignored. The horrific and unjustifiable attacks carried out by Hamas on 7 October 2023 inflicted devastating loss. Those acts must be condemned unequivocally, and the safe return of all hostages must be an immediate international priority.

“But justice for one side cannot come through policies that result in widespread civilian suffering. The continued airstrikes in densely populated areas of Gaza, alongside severe restrictions on aid, are causing devastating harm to ordinary people — including children, the elderly, and those with disabilities. These actions must stop.

“There is a moral and humanitarian imperative to restore access to clean water, electricity, and life-saving aid for Gaza’s civilian population. At the same time, Hamas must release all hostages without precondition. Neither hostages nor humanitarian aid can be treated as bargaining tools — both must be addressed with urgency and moral clarity.

“This week, a child with cerebral palsy was killed when her home was bombed. She had no role in this war. Her death, like so many others, forces us to reflect on the moral clarity of the current approach.

“International law is not optional. It rests on principles of necessity, humanity, proportionality, and the distinction between combatants and civilians. These principles must guide all military actions. Increasingly, it is difficult to see how they are being upheld in Gaza.

“Let us be clear: the life of a Palestinian child is worth no less than the life of an Israeli child. Both are precious. Both deserve safety and dignity. Both deserve a future.

“Israel must bring an end to military strategies that result in civilian deaths. Hamas must abandon violence and release all hostages. Peace cannot be built while innocent people are killed, and others are held in captivity.

“Ulster Unionist MLA, Doug Beattie MC, has previously made this clear: overwhelming force is no substitute for diplomacy. His call for a strategic pause, for humanitarian corridors, and for the protection of civilians must be heeded by all parties. As he has said, ‘The harder path is peace, not war. And it is one that must be walked with courage and leadership.’

 “If history teaches us anything, it is that prolonged violence does not produce lasting peace. Dialogue, restraint, accountability, and the protection of human life — even across the deepest divides — are what truly make peace possible.”