Ms Nicholl has said: "The events of the 7th October 2023 were a horrific and unjustifiable act of violence by Hamas, and it’s with immense sadness that we pay tribute to all those who were killed or taken hostage, to their families, and to everyone impacted by this tragedy.

“The events since have shown that an endless cycle of violence can never and will never be the route to peace. We cannot turn a blind eye to the genocidal actions of the Israeli state that we’ve seen inflicted upon innocent civilians in Gaza in the last two years.

“All needless loss of life is devastating, and all efforts must now be refocused on creating the conditions for a lasting peace based on a two-state solution, including demanding an immediate ceasefire, allowing the free flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza, and the release of remaining hostages.”