The newly elected Lord Mayor of Dublin has suggested twinning the Irish capital with the Gaza Strip out of “sympathy”.

Gerry Breen proposed that the City Council explore the idea at its next monthly meeting, but said it was not meant as a criticism of Israel but as a positive step.

He said: "Gaza doesn't necessarily need to benefit from it, sometimes you can do these things because it's the right thing to do.

"It's saying that we empathise with the plight of the inhabitants in that area."

Both Dublin and Gaza are already twinned with Barcelona.

Relations between the countries have been strained since Ireland expelled an Israeli diplomat in June.