Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar has described Israel’s actions in Gaza as “something approaching revenge”, in some of the strongest criticism of Israel by a leader of a European Union member state, Reuters reports.

“I strongly believe that … Israel has the right to defend itself, has the right to go after Hamas, that they cannot do this again,” Varadkar told journalists during a visit to South Korea, according to comments broadcast by state radio RTE.

“What I’m seeing unfolding at the moment is not just self-defence. It looks, resembles something more approaching revenge,” Varadkar said. “That’s not where we should be.”