

Save Irish Citizens in Gaza: An Irish-Palestinian family’s story
Sep 14, 2025
27:00
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In this Reboot Republic podcast, Rory talks with Khalid El-Astal, who was born in Belfast in 1993, and Melissa Murphy who is part of the Kildare Palestine Solidarity Campaign. Khalid is now living in Ireland with his two young children, Ali and Sara, who were injured in an Israeli airstrike that struck their home in October 2023, killing their mother, grandmother and uncle.
His brothers Abdurrahman and Abdullah — both Irish citizens born in Belfast — remain trapped in Gaza, along with their father, Professor Ali El-Astal, who lived in Belfast for eight years while completing his PhD in Physics and researching at Queen’s University. Khalid tells his family’s story, and the reality on the ground in Gaza, and Melissa sets out how people can support Khalid and his family by contacting the Irish Government to urgently issue emergency travel documentation, and we discuss the impact of the grassroots campaigns in Ireland in solidarity with Palestine.
Here is the link to send an email to political representatives to support Khalid’s family – Irish Citizens in Gaza: https://www.instagram.com/helpirishcitizensingaza
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