Tánaiste's team forced to make emergency stop in Israel amid air raid sirens

James Cox

Tánaiste Micheál Martin's convoy was forced to make an emergency stop on their way to Jerusalem following an air raid siren.

Mr Martin had visited the Kibbutz close to the Hamas border where Emily Hand was taken hostage by Hamas on October 7th.

When an air raid siren went off, the Tánaiste’s officials had to leave their bus and lie on the ground for five minutes.

Mr Martin did not leave his vehicle as he was in an armoured car, The Irish Times reports.

There were no injuries, and the convoy continued on to Jerusalem.

Before leaving Jerusalem, Mr Martin said Israel’s foreign minister Eli Cohen had committed to continue helping Irish nationals and their dependents to leave Gaza.

The Tánaiste then travelled to Ramallah, where he had an hour-long meeting with Palestinian Authority prime minister Mohammad Shtayyeh.