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Peredur Owen Griffiths, who represents Plaid Cymru, is one of four regional Senedd Members serving the South Wales East region.

The Senedd hit the headlines when we debated the conflict in Gaza just over a month ago. Plaid Cymru brought this debate to our national parliament to call for a permanent ceasefire in order to end the bloodshed which has claimed the lives of thousands of innocent people.

The actions of Hamas were despicable and disgusting but it cannot be used to justify collective punishment of an entire population and the forced displacement of millions. The death toll in Gaza at the time of writing has passed 18,000. Many of these will have been children. For those who have survived the aerial bombardment, there will be many who have been maimed and suffered life-changing injuries. The reason for bringing our debate to the Senedd was to send a clear message that Wales is opposed to this violence and carnage.

I was pleased that we secured cross-party support for the motion to pass. Some Labour MSs broke with the party line being towed by their colleagues in Westminster to join Plaid Cymru’s calls for a permanent ceasefire. It was a shame that not all Labour MSs agreed with those brave party colleagues and Plaid Cymru.

Some people will question the point of this being debated in the Senedd, especially since foreign affairs are the responsibility of Westminster. In my view and that of Plaid Cymru – a party with a proud internationalist history – it is important that a clear message is sent by our parliament. Indeed, there is precedent for statements on the floor of the Senedd when it comes to international affairs – most recently with the invasion of Ukraine.

It was our patron saint – St David – who said: “Gwnewch y pethau bychain mewn bywyd” (“Do the little things in life”). By holding this debate and the motion passing, our country has sent a clear and powerful message. If every country that is appalled by the events in Gaza would takes a similar stand, then the pressure on Israel will mount and hopefully make them reconsider their course of action.

Since the vote took place, I have attended numerous rallies and marches calling for peace in Gaza. They have been powerful, they have been moving and they have made me even more convinced that Plaid Cymru did the right thing by calling for a ceasefire in the Senedd. I hope that Westminster, the US and even Israel come to this realisation before Gaza is razed entirely to the ground and the lives of more innocent people are lost.