Pro-Palestine posts labelled as 'shameful' by DUP MLA Emma Little-Pengelly as UUP leader Doug Beattie admits he is 'staggered' by Sinn Fein's support for Hamas

Ógra Shinn Féin posted a picture of a Palestinian flag on its X account, formerly known as Twitter.

The picture was uploaded on Saturday, just hours after the Palestinian militant group Hamas launched an unprecedented assault into Israel, killing hundreds of people and taking captives back into blockaded Gaza as the group launched thousands of rockets.

A stunned Israel said it is now at war with Hamas and launched airstrikes in Gaza, vowing to inflict an “unprecedented price”.

In an assault of startling breadth, Hamas gunmen rolled into as many as 22 locations outside the Gaza Strip, including towns and other communities as far as 15 miles from the Gaza border.

In some places they roamed for hours, gunning down civilians and soldiers as Israel’s military scrambled to muster a response.

Gun battles continued well after nightfall, and militants held hostages in stand-offs in two towns.

Replying to the youth wing’s post, Ms Little-Pengelly called it “shameful”.

She wrote: “Shameful by Sinn Fein.

“No matter the view on the region SF may have, the murder and torture, including of many, many civilians, is wrong and evil. To allow the official Sinn Fein youth organisation to post this of all days is a disgrace. #Shameful.”

UUP leader Doug Beattie remarked that he was “staggered” by Sinn Fein’s support for Hamas.

He posted on his X account: “I am staggered by Sinn Fein’s support for Hamas actions today.

“A woman murdered, her body stripped semi naked, paraded through the streets while being defiled by onlookers.”

Mr Beattie MC, a military veteran, also also criticised a message from Chris Hazzard, the Sinn Fein MP for South Down, who said on X: “Palestinians must be free to live without oppression, apartheid & colonisation.

“As JFK said: Those who make peaceful revolution impossible, make violent revolution inevitable.

“International actors must urgently stand up for peace, justice & dignity for all Free Palestine.”

Mr Beattie replied: “Unbelievably crass remarks from an MP as bodies are dragged through the streets. #ShameFein.”

The DUP has confirmed that Gordon Lyons MLA has reported a tweet made by People Before Profit MLA Gerry Carroll to the Standards Commissioner after he posted: “Victory to the Palestinian Resistance”.

Alliance MP Stephen Farry also criticised the post from Mr Carroll as “shameful”.

Furthermore, Mr Lyons has reported the tweet made by Sinn Fein’s Mr Hazzard to the Westminster standards watchdog.

A tweet from Sinn Fein MLA Deirdre Hargey saying “Free Free Palestine” has also been reported by Mr Lyons to the Stormont watchdog.

Sinn Fein has been contacted for a statement.

However, a previous press release stated that the party was on the lookout for international intervention in Palestine.

Sinn Fein spokesperson on foreign affairs and defence, Matt Carthy TD, appealed for an urgent end to hostilities in Gaza and Israel.

He said: “The attacks by Hamas against Israeli civilians and military targets, and the Israeli bombardment on Gaza, must stop immediately. These events have the potential to lead towards a new dangerous tipping point.

“There is no justification for the killing of civilians on any side. All acts of violence must end immediately. International law must finally be respected and enforced.

“The violent offensive by Palestinian forces has occurred against a sustained intensification of the Israeli state’s occupation and apartheid in Palestine since 2022.

“A lasting and just peace between Palestinians and Israelis requires an end to the occupation and apartheid systems being imposed upon the Palestinian people.

“Today’s events have created a new urgency to the need for a decisive international intervention. Such an intervention is required to bring about a ceasefire by all sides, and to formulate an effective road map providing for a proper negotiations process, based upon unconditional adherence to international law and the UN Charter.

“A durable and just solution to the Palestinian question is the way forward. Rigorous, impartial international leadership is required.”