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RTÉ News
a day ago
- Health
- RTÉ News
Situation in Gaza 'completely unbearable', says UNRWA
Senior Emergency Officer with UNRWA, the UN's Palestinian agency, Louise Wateridge, has said the situation on the ground in Gaza is "completely unbearable". Today, there are further reports of spiralling malnutrition rates among Gaza's population of more than two million people, and further deaths due to famine. Ms Wateridge described the situation at aid centres as "horror on horror," with accounts of people stepping over dead bodies to try to get some food and returning with nothing. She said the lack of access to Gaza for the aid waiting to enter and Israel's restrictions on it are the problem. "UNRWA alone has 6,000 trucks waiting to get in, half of that is essential food and medical supplies. "It's about an hour away from the border; it could be there this afternoon," she said. Dozens of people have starved to death in Gaza in the last few weeks as a wave of hunger crashes on the Palestinian enclave, according to local health authorities. The World Health Organization said yesterday that 21 children under the age of five were among those who died of malnutrition so far this year. Today, the Gaza health ministry said two more people had died of malnutrition. The head of Shifa Hospital in Gaza said the two were patients suffering from other illnesses who died after going without food for several days. Speaking on RTÉ's News at One, she described her colleagues' stories as "the most horrifying experience I have ever heard anyone relay". "Most of our healthcare workers are parents themselves with starving children. "So, they are leaving their own starving children in the shelters to go to work to be a doctor, to be a nurse, to try and save other people, and other children's lives." Ms Wateridge said the worst, and "most brutal" thing is that there is nothing they can do, because they do not have what they need, like supplies of nutrients, medicines, food and water, none of which is available. She said one in 10 cases of children that UNRWA is screening daily is now "severely malnourished". She said since the ceasefire ended in March this year, cases of malnutrition have risen by "over 150%". "Now, of course, 11 weeks of total siege followed by drips and drops of some food, a lot of it through what we are describing as death-traps," a reference to the US and Israeli-backed aid system run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, "because people going to get this food are being killed," she said. Israel considering Hamas response to ceasefire Hamas has confirmed it has responded to an Israeli proposal for a 60-day ceasefire in Gaza, while Israel said it is examining the Palestinian militant group's proposals. It comes after more than two weeks of indirect talks in Qatar that so far has failed to yield a truce. "Hamas has just submitted its response and that of the Palestinian factions to the ceasefire proposal to the mediators," the Palestinian militant group said in a statement on Telegram. Israel said it is examining Hamas's response to a Gaza ceasefire proposal, the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed. Hamas said yesterday it had submitted its response to mediators but did not disclose the content. Both sides' acknowledgement of ceasefire proposals come after a family of seven were among more than 100 people killed yesterday across 24 hours of Israeli strikes or gunfire, according to health officials. The response by Hamas included proposed amendments to clauses on the entry of aid, maps of areas from which the Israeli army should withdraw, and guarantees on securing a permanent end to the war, according to a Palestinian source familiar with ongoing talks in Doha. Negotiators from both sides have been holding indirect talks in Doha with mediators in an attempt to reach an agreement on a truce deal that would see the release of Israeli hostages. Of the 251 hostages taken during Hamas's 2023 attack, 49 are still being held in Gaza, including 27 the Israeli military says are dead. But the talks have dragged on for more than two weeks without a breakthrough, with each side blaming the other for refusing to budge on their key demands. For Israel, dismantling Hamas's military and governing capabilities is non-negotiable. While Hamas demands firm guarantees on a lasting truce, a full withdrawal of Israeli troops and the free flow of aid into Gaza. Israeli government spokesman David Mencer accused Hamas of obstructing talks. "Israel has agreed to the Qatari proposal and the updated (US special envoy Steve) Witkoff proposal, it is Hamas that is refusing," Mr Mencer told reporters. He added that Israel's negotiating team was still in Doha and talks were ongoing. The United States said Mr Witkoff will head to Europe this week for talks on a possible ceasefire and an aid corridor. More than 100 aid organisations warned yesterday that "mass starvation" was spreading in Gaza. Israeli forces this morning hit the central Gaza towns of Nuseirat, Deir Al-Balah and Bureij. Health officials at Al-Awda Hospital said three people were killed in an airstrike on a house in Nuseirat, three more died from tank shelling in Deir Al-Balah, and separate airstrikes in Bureij killed a man and a woman and wounded several others. Nasser hospital said three people were killed by Israeli gunfire while seeking aid in southern Gaza near the so-called Morag axis between Khan Younis and Rafah. The Israeli military said Palestinian militants had fired a projectile overnight from Khan Younis toward an aid distribution site near Morag. It was not immediately clear whether the incidents were linked. US Middle East peace envoy Steve Witkoff travelled to Europe this week for meetings on the Gaza war and a range of other issues. An Israeli official said Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer would meet Mr Witkoff tomorrow if the gaps between Israel and Hamas over the terms of a ceasefire had narrowed sufficiently. News agencies desperately concerned for journalists The meetings come as four news agencies issued a joint statement expressing major concern for their journalists who are currently operating in Gaza. AFP, Reuters, BBC News and AP said in a joint statement that they are deeply alarmed that the threat of starvation is now one of the hardships endured by journalists in Gaza. "We are desperately concerned for our journalists in Gaza, who are increasingly unable to feed themselves and their families. "For many months, these independent journalists have been the world's eyes and ears on the ground in Gaza. They are now facing the same dire circumstances as those they are covering," the statement said. "We once again urge the Israeli authorities to allow journalists in and out of Gaza. It is essential that adequate food supplies reach the people there." Meanwhile, UNICEF's spokesperson in Gaza Rosalia Bollen said Gaza "is really one of the most frustrating places on Earth to be working as a humanitarian. Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, she said this is due to the constant bombardment and displacement orders. "Right now there's less than 13% of the territory that is not under displacement order or that hasn't been designated as a military zone, that affects the population, but it also affects our ability to move around and to operate and it means that the population is constantly on the move. "So the communities that we're trying to help, that we're trying to follow, they keep moving and that means that our services have to move to". She said that UN agencies are in constant contact with the Israeli Defence Forces to ensure that agency staff can move around, "to ensure that our premises are deconflicted, as we call it, especially with this latest displacement order for Deir al-Balah, which is in the centre of the Gaza Strip." She said an attack on a UN warehouse earlier this week was "is absolutely frightening". "At the moment, a warehouse is out of order, that gravely undermines humanitarian operations and their ability to bring medicines in. "So this is this is very bad news for healthcare in in Gaza, which was already really on the brink. Right now what we need is more access, more supplies, which are ready outside of Gaza. "The solution is there." The war between Israel and Hamas has been raging for nearly two years since Hamas killed some 1,200 Israelis and took 251 hostages from southern Israel on 7 October 2023, in the deadliest attack in Israel's history. Israel has since killed nearly 60,000 Palestinians in Gaza, reduced most of the territory to ruins and forced nearly the entire population to flee their homes multiple times.
RTÉ News
4 days ago
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Dillon Quirke's father pays tribute to Tipp after victory
The father of late Tipperary player Dillon Quirke said that he was "on their shoulders yesterday" at Croke Park as they won the All-Ireland hurling final. Dillon, who played for Tipperary and captained his club Clonoulty-Rossmore, collapsed on the pitch and died three years ago. Since his death, his family have worked to raise awareness of Sudden Adult Death Syndrome and to fund cardiac screening for young people involved in sport. Dillon's father Dan and his mother Hazel watched Tipperary win from their home, opting not to travel to Dublin for the game. Amid the celebrations at Croker yesterday, both Tipperary captain Ronan Maher and manager Liam Cahill paid tribute to Dillon. Speaking on RTÉ's News at One, Mr Quirke said it was a day of "mixed emotions". He said he was delighted that the team performed so well. "[They] gave a super exhibition of hurling in the second half. I don't know did we see that coming earlier on in the year, but God they've been magnificent and hats off to Liam Cahill for what he's done with all these young men," he said. "They're great young guys. We actually had a few of them out to us here on Friday evening, they visited Dillon's grave after. They are lovely young men. "We are delighted with what has happened, it's great for Tipperary. Obviously we have mixed emotions. "I shed a tear on Saturday night when I went to bed and it wasn't that Dillon wasn't in Croke Park yesterday. It was more a case that Dillion wasn't with us today, and he won't be with us tomorrow. "So it's been difficult, but it's been great for Tipperary." He said they opted not to travel to Croke Park for the final as, they found the semi final "very emotional and very difficult". "We just felt it to be easier to watch it on TV, even though we were shouting our heads off while watching it," Mr Quirke said. "Dillon was a great friend of all these young guys and I think he was on their shoulders yesterday. Liam Cahill mentioned that everywhere he went, he felt Dillon was with him. "We probably felt it too as a family to watch these guys perform at the best it meant an awful lot to us and we're thrilled as a family, both Hazel and the two girls and myself are very proud. "I'm proud that Dillon maybe had some little bit to do with it something to do from upstairs, as I call it."
Irish Daily Mirror
4 days ago
- Business
- Irish Daily Mirror
Early clues on social welfare and cost of living changes in Budget 2026
With Budget 2026 approaching, anticipation is growing over what measures the Government will introduce to tackle the ongoing cost of living challenges. While the full details won't be revealed until the Budget is officially delivered in October, Government Ministers have started to drop hints about the direction and priorities of the upcoming package. Tomorrow's publication of the Summer Economic Statement is expected to provide valuable insights into the scale and focus of Budget 2026, setting the stage for what Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe will announce. The statement is expected to outline €30 billion in extra capital spending to boost infrastructure, housing and energy. Unlike recent Budgets, which included one-off cost of living payments to ease financial pressures, this year's Budget is expected to take a different approach - one that leans more towards long-term solutions. Taoiseach Micheal Martin has already made clear that while supports will be provided, the emphasis "quite simply has to be on transforming our infrastructure", signaling a shift towards sustainable investment rather than temporary relief measures. Here's what has been revealed so far about the social welfare and cost of living changes expected in Budget 2026. Cost of living payments It has been confirmed that one-off cost of living payments will not be part of this year's budget. Speaking on RTE's News at One last week, Minister for Public Expenditure Jack Chambers stated: "We will not be doing one-off payments, or one-off cost of living payments in this year's Budget. We had a series of Budgets in the last number of years, obviously through Covid, through the inflationary period where we responded." He added that the Government wants to ensure decisions in Budget 2026 are "permanent, sustained and sustainable with the broader global uncertainty." Social welfare rates While specific increases to social welfare rates have yet to be confirmed, Tanaiste Simon Harris has expressed reservations about uniform rises across all payments, particularly concerning jobseeker's allowance. Speaking earlier this month, he said: "I do always think there is merit in not looking at social welfare payments with uniformity across the board." He elaborated: "I'm not convinced that you need to see as significant a rise in the dole as you do in the pension, for example, at the time where our country is at full employment, when there is lots of supports out there for people getting into work. When there are other supports out there for very many people who can't work for very many good reasons. That's my opinion. We'll thrash it out all that out at the time of Budget." Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest news from the Irish Mirror direct to your inbox: Sign up here. For the latest news and breaking news visit Get all the big headlines, pictures, analysis, opinion and video on the stories that matter to you. Follow us on Twitter @IrishMirror - the official Irish Mirror Twitter account - real news in real time. We're also on Facebook/irishmirror - your must-see news, features, videos and pictures throughout the day from the Irish Daily Mirror, Irish Sunday Mirror and
Irish Independent
4 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Independent
‘We're very proud and proud of Dillon too, who maybe had something to do with it from upstairs' – Father of Dillon Quirke reacts to Tipperary win
The 24-year-old died from Sudden Adult Death Syndrome (SADS) in August 2022 when he collapsed while playing a club championship match for Clonoulty/Rossmore against Kilruane MacDonaghs in Thurles. His family established the Dillon Quirke Foundation in his memory to raise awareness of SADS, funding thousands of cardiac screenings for young people involved in sport last year. Speaking to RTÉ's News at One, his father Dan Quirke said there are "mixed emotions" in the aftermath of the Tipperary win, despite being 'delighted that the guys performed so well' in what he described as 'a super exhibition of hurling'. The players visited their late teammate's parents before visiting his grave on Friday evening. "They are lovely young men, we are delighted for what has happened – it's great for Tipperary. Obviously, we've mixed emotions,' Mr Quirke said. "I shed a tear Saturday night myself when I went to bed. It wasn't that Dillon wasn't in Croke Park yesterday, it was more a case of Dillon wasn't with us today and he won't be with us tomorrow. It's been difficult, but it's been great for Tipperary.' Mr Quirke and his wife, Hazel, did not travel to Dublin to watch the match in Croke Park yesterday, having found the semi-final 'very emotional and very difficult'. "We just felt it would be easier to watch it on TV, even though we were shouting our heads off while watching it. We just thought it might be easier and it worked out that way I think.' As he collected the Liam MacCarthy cup yesterday, Tipperary captain Ronan Maher said the team carried the spirit of their teammate 'every step of the way'. "You were in the dressing-room, you were on the field of play, you were in our hearts … and we hope we did you and your family proud today.' ADVERTISEMENT Mr Quirke described the Tipperary team as a 'magnificent bunch of guys' and that his son 'was on their shoulder yesterday'. "We probably felt it too as a family, to watch these guys perform at their best it meant an awful lot to us. We're thrilled as a family. Both Hazel and the two girls and myself, we're very proud and proud of Dillon too, who maybe had something to do with it from upstairs as I call it." The foundation carried out 10,000 screenings for children last year and hope to do the same this year, hoping to raise awareness of SADS in the process. Every year, 100 young people under 40 die of SADS in Ireland due to an undetected heart defect. Last year, the foundation managed to detect cardiac abnormalities in 243 of the 10,128 young people it screened. He said the work is 'saving lives', adding: 'We're delighted to do it, and it would be a super legacy to Dillon in fairness, better than any All-Ireland final for Dillon as a legacy would be saving human lives, and it's been magnificent for us, the foundation. 'Even though at the minute the whole thing is very emotional, but look, we're making a difference for other parents and we're just doing the best we can.'
Irish Examiner
5 days ago
- Business
- Irish Examiner
Housing is ‘central focus' of €30bn plan to boost investment and protect economy
The Government will this week roll out a €30bn plan to boost investment and protect the Irish economy in the face of US tariffs and recession fears. An additional €10bn of this is to be set aside for 'specific strategic investment' across water infrastructure, the Dublin Metro project, and the electricity grid. Public expenditure and reform minister Jack Chambers said the specific details of the 'ring-fenced' additional funding will be revealed on Tuesday. Coalition leaders met on Saturday to finalise details around updates to the National Development Plan which will ramp up investment in key infrastructure in a move to make Ireland a more attractive place to invest. Mr Chambers told Cabinet colleagues in recent weeks that investment in infrastructure is the most efficient way of safeguarding the economy, especially if the EU and the US end up in a trade war with tariffs above 10%. Senior Coalition sources accept that a 10% tariff is 'baked in' but warn that anything above that could have serious impacts on the Irish economy. Apple tax and AIB shares windfalls They said that Mr Chambers has argued for windfalls from the Apple tax case and sale of AIB shares to be pumped into addressing infrastructural deficits in the National Development Plan (NDP). Mr Chambers said this weekend that the Government will be seeking to 'provide the headroom' needed by Irish Water when it comes to providing additional housing supply. 'We've heard crystal clear the issues around the funding deficit which exists for Uisce Éireann, and the absolute need if we want to ramp up housing supply to address the concerns nationwide around water and wastewater infrastructure,' he told RTÉ's News at One. The 'whole central focus' of this review in the NDP is housing supply and the infrastructure which supports it, he added. There will also be a 'major uplift in our commitment to public transport, to roads projects and active travel', according to Mr Chambers. An additional €10bn of the extra €30bn investment is to be set aside for 'specific strategic investment' including Dublin Metro. However, Government also needs to 'ensure that in regions across our country, whether it's in the West or the South-West or elsewhere, that roads projects, which have been on the table for many years, are progressed', he added. 'That's fundamental to providing balanced regional development, addressing issues around road safety and ensuring we've got connectivity to our regions in the West of Ireland and elsewhere.' Extra money will be allocated in the NDP to defence spending, Mr Chambers confirmed. He rejected the idea that spending on other areas would be limited as a result. 'We can't ignore serious infrastructure deficits in water and energy and transport and housing, and that's why they're being prioritised around the overall allocation,' he said. The Government will also this week outline its summer economic statement, which will give a broad outline of the amount of money available both in this year's budget and over the next number of years in capital spending. Meanwhile, part of the Government's response to tariffs will include a new fund to be announced by enterprise minister Peter Burke, aiming to help companies most impacted by tariffs to cope with increases in costs due to the Trump administration's tariffs.
