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Middle East Eye
a day ago
- Health
- Middle East Eye
One-year-old girl dies from severe malnutrition in central Gaza
A one-and-a-half-year-old girl died on Friday in the central Gaza city of Deir al-Balah from severe malnutrition as a result of Israel's blockade, Wafa news agency reported. According to health officials, around 17,000 children are currently suffering from acute malnutrition in Gaza. The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (Unrwa) recently warned that child malnutrition has worsened, especially among children under five. Between March and June 2025, Unrwa's clinics conducted nearly 74,000 screenings, identifying around 5,500 cases of moderate acute malnutrition and over 800 cases of severe acute malnutrition. The UN agency attributed the rise in malnutrition to the ongoing Israeli blockade on the Gaza Strip, which has severely restricted the entry of food, medicine and humanitarian aid.
Irish Independent
2 days ago
- Politics
- Irish Independent
Letters: Irish voices must continue to demand an end to the horror unfolding in Gaza
The images are unbearable; lifeless bodies wrapped in tarpaulin, lined up in the dust, waiting to be buried, if there is even a place left to do so. I cannot remain silent on the terrible horror that keeps unfolding before our eyes on a daily basis. Jonathan Fowler, spokesperson for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees, speaking on RTÉ Morning Ireland on Monday from neighbouring Jordan, described the situation as 'apocalyptic'. He said people were being forced 'to eat or die' and likened the horror to a 'Hunger Games' scenario. These are not abstract warnings. They reflect the brutal, daily reality of over two million people trapped without food, water, medical aid or basic safety. This is not about politics. It is about humanity. Every civilian life matters. What is happening in Gaza is not just a crisis – it is a moral failure of the international community. We must not become desensitised to the images of devastation, nor should we allow the cries of the suffering to go unheard. Ireland, with its long tradition of peace-building and speaking truth to power, must continue to demand an immediate ceasefire, full humanitarian access, the protection of civilians under international law – and the immediate release of all hostages. History is watching. We cannot, and must not, be silent. Martin Quinn, Tipperary town Countries supplying Israel with weapons must share blame for this nightmare The continuing scenes we are witnessing on our TV screens from Gaza every evening are deeply distressing. The tens of thousands of civilian casualties and the horrific injuries of those affected would make you wonder what sort of a world we are living in when we allow this to happen. To see very young children who have lost limbs or have been burnt beyond recognition and who may also have lost parents is something we should never have to witness. What is beyond comprehension is the ongoing support of the US and some European countries who are providing military aid to Israel to continue this atrocity. The world has truly lost its moral compass. Tony Walsh, Finglas West, Dublin 11 Transport police needed to prevent anti-social behaviour getting worse A surge in anti-social behaviour such as drinking, assaults and drug use on public transport has left some Irish Rail staff afraid to work. Many passengers are also fearful when taking public transport. One wonders how can we solve this ongoing issue. I believe that we must always prioritise our safety and the safety of others by moving away from the anti-social situation and reporting it to the appropriate authorities. There is a growing support for a dedicated transport police force in Ireland to address safety concerns on public transport. I would like to see a transport security force under the National Transport Authority, potentially with powers similar to airport police and customs officers. Public transport staff and passengers deserve to work and travel safely. This is why anti-social behaviour on public transport must be immediately curbed. John O'Brien, Clonmel, Co Tipperary Parents' words of wisdom have a habit of staying with us over the years Enda Cullen's letter last Tuesday regarding words of advice from his late mother, reminds me of my late father's comments, when I told him I was going to get married, thus… 'Remember lad, you're going to tie a knot with your tongue that you won't be able to open with your hands.' Thankfully that knot has remained firmly, and happily, intact over the past 53 years. Tom Gilsenan, Beaumont, Dublin 9 Barbie should reflect the issues facing real people, and that includes diabetes The latest Barbie doll has diabetes, type 1, and there has been some controversy as it is a 'commitment to inclusivity and representation', but there is a need for more information about diabetes in general. The world of Barbie is fictional, but what is she was real? There is already enough discussion of her proportions if she was full size to not revisit that. As she was 19 years old when she was introduced to the public in 1959, so she would be now about 85 years old and probably starting to show her age. Parts would have sagged even if they are plastic. She would be feeling the passing of time with the usual aches and creaking bones and the fading memory that many have. Barbie may be timeless, but she has to move with the times. Dennis Fitzgerald, Melbourne, Australia RTÉ weather revamp is a reminder of years I spent with my head in the clouds I see that RTÉ has revamped its weather forecast (Irish Independent, July 15). This reminds me of my national school days and my teacher's exasperation at my inability to spell the word 'weather' correctly. I spelled it 'Wether'. He opined that it was the worst spelling of weather he had ever seen. Noel Kelly, Doonbeg, Co Clare Trump has changed trade for good – and Ireland must be ready to react Your editorial on Donald Trump's tariff threats rightly underlines the risk to EU-US trade – but there's a deeper issue at stake ('Trump's outlook may make securing trade deal impossible', Irish Independent, July 15). In an era when economic leadership is reduced to strongman antics, trust between trading partners is vanishing. For Ireland, whose economy is hardwired to global trade, this spells trouble far beyond tariffs. The real danger is an inflation slump: tariffs pushing up prices while global growth stalls. The US economy may seem robust now, but once American businesses exhaust their stockpiles and pass costs to consumers, the pain will spread – and Ireland's pharma and tech sectors won't be spared. Whether or not his 30pc tariffs stick, EU-US trade will never again be conducted on a stable, rules-based footing. Ireland's economic future lies in strengthening alliances that still value open trade – and bracing for a decade of volatility driven by ego, not economics.
Irish Examiner
3 days ago
- Politics
- Irish Examiner
Letters to the Editor: Decisive action on habitats directives a must
The Government's announcement this week that Ireland must implement Habitats Directive assessments for the granting of derogations may be a moment of progress. It is recognition, for the first time, that there is no basis for Ireland obtaining the blanket derogation without rigorously assessing the impacts on our protected habitats and species. We have unwisely banked on maintaining the derogation status quo to fuel intensified and unsustainable agricultural production over the past decade. Whilst it can be heralded as an achievement of sorts, it is really an indication of intent that must now be followed by action. Water quality is everyone's problem, but for many, this week's announcement spells uncertainty, and a deep concern for their future. We have repeatedly raised this risk with government ministers and officials and highlighted that a sudden withdrawal of the derogation would leave farmers facing a crisis, with enormous ramifications for their businesses. We're now very close to that point. To date there has been an ongoing failure by the State and farm leadership to plan for that potential scenario, with little to no apparent discussion about how to best manage that risk and prepare farmers for this very eventuality. While there is much discussion of this new development being a 'shifting of the goal posts' for farmers, or a new requirement, it is in fact a legal obligation which dates back to 1992. The Irish Government was made aware of the requirement for these types of assessments at least as far back as 2021, by their own environmental consultants, but did nothing to communicate that risk to farmers, leading us to the current cliff edge. It's now long past time for Government to put in place a well thought through and resourced plan to transition impacted farmers away from the high stocking densities the derogation allowed. There is a need for strong leadership to support and protect the farming community, at the same time as we protect our rivers, lakes, and estuaries. The importance of protecting our collective waterways through sustainable land and water management is not something we should take different sides on. Decisive action must now follow the words. Gary Freemantle CEO, An Taisce Foster Place, Dublin 2 We must not be silent on Gaza I write with continuing shock and horror at the relentless bombings and killings in Gaza. Day after day, we witness the deaths of men, women, and children — families obliterated, homes reduced to rubble, entire communities shattered. The images are unbearable; lifeless bodies wrapped in tarpaulin, lined up in the dust, waiting to be buried, if there is even a place left to do so. I cannot remain silent on the terrible horror that keeps unfolding before our eyes. Jonathan Fowler, spokesperson for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees, speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland from neighbouring Jordan, described the situation as 'apocalyptic'. He said people were being forced 'to eat or die' and likened the horror to a Hunger Games scenario. These are not abstract warnings. They reflect the brutal, daily reality of more than two million people trapped without food, water, medical aid, or basic safety. This is not about politics. It is about humanity. Every civilian life matters. What is happening in Gaza is not just a crisis — it is a moral failure of the international community. We must not become desensitised to the images of devastation, nor should we allow the cries of the suffering to go unheard. Ireland, with its long tradition of peace-building and speaking truth to power, must continue to demand an immediate ceasefire, full humanitarian access, the protection of civilians under international law — and the immediate release of all hostages. History is watching. We cannot, and must not be silent. Martin Quinn Hon secretary, Tipperary Peace Convention Father Matthew St, Tipperary Town Aire facilities The fact Cork County Council have recognised the income that could be generated by creating additional campervan locations is great. (Cobh location in six months has brought in €31,625 this year. That is €9,145 up on the same time last year.) Motorhome owners do not always want to be 'pushed' towards a campsite, which in most cases, is no where near the centre of a town or village — and importantly closes between October 1 until the following Easter. 'Motorhome owners travel all year round.' Motorhome owners travel all year round. All we are looking for is simple Aire (service area/parking for motorhomes) facilities: Fresh water, grey waste and chemical toilet disposal points, rubbish disposal, and electric hook-ups are always a bonus. This also allows us to spend in local shops, bars, etc. Paul Simpson Newtownards, Co Down Dog walks on farms John Tierney proposes a scheme whereby farmers would be paid 'a small fee' to fence off routes across their lands so as to permit dog walkers without trespassing, believing this would provide farmers with a small additional income — 'Lead the way to peace for farmers and dog walkers' ( Irish Examiner, Letters, July 10). Mr Tierney says a grant scheme could be created for such purposes. While it sounds good in theory it must be pointed out these would not be the only considerations. First, how small a fee? It would have to be more than enough to cover the cost of dog and owner-proof fencing, especially on farms where livestock is being raised; also to cover income lost from land no longer available for tillage or livestock. It would have to avoid creating unintentional rights of way whereby farmers who generously allow their land be used recreationally don't find themselves on the receiving end of expensive and vexatious litigation by members of the public who try to assume some general right of way if allowed any access to land at all — there's always one, as they say. Dog walkers would also have to find an insurance company willing to insure them and indemnify the landowner against any liability in the event that any dog (or person) caused any damage or nuisance to property, livestock, themselves, or other members of the public. Again, far too often farmers have found themselves on the receiving end of legal action by folk who shun common sense and believe it is everyone's responsibility but their own to ensure safety. As a hillwalker, I have seen with my own eyes people who seem totally unfamiliar with the countryside other than in some loose recreational sense, bringing their dogs across mountain farmland and even letting them off the leash. Most farmers might reasonably wonder what's wrong with Mr Tierney simply using existing public parks, beaches, and much-touted greenways. Nick Folley Carrigaline, Co Cork Srebrenica and the horror of genocide I want to commend Mary Lawlor for her very poignant and touching article on the Srebrenica genocide in Bosnia and Herzegovina — ' 30 years on, Srebrenica still lives under shadow of genocide' ( Irish Examiner, July 11). The Srebrenica genocide was the killing in July 1995, of more than 8,000 Bosniak Muslim boys and men by Bosnian Serb forces in Srebrenica, Bosnia, and Herzegovina. It was the worst act of mass murder in Europe since the Second World War. Bosnian Muslim men carry coffins containing the remains of seven newly identified victims of the 1995 Srebrenica genocide at the memorial centre in Potocari, Bosnia, on July 11. Picture: Darko Bandic/AP The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia held political leaders and senior leaders and senior officers in the Bosnian Serb army responsible. Among the most prominent were Radovan Karadzic leader of the Republika Srpska, and Ratko Mladic, a military commander who was likely the mastermind of the genocide. We do know that at that time, the Dutch peacekeepers in the UN-designated safe haven of Srebrenica were vastly outnumbered and outgunned by Bosnian Serb forces, and the resolution that authorised their deployment did not allow them to use force to defend the Bosnians that were ostensibly under their protection. Bosnian-Serb forces threatened to execute Dutch hostages, and the peacekeepers were forced to surrender their weapons and withdraw. It's incredulous to think that three decades on, as leaders deny what happened, remains of the thousands killed continue to be identified and buried. It's my contention that the peace of Srebrenica hides deep scars. Mary Lawlor sums up it very well: 'Time has passed, but it hasn't healed all the wounds... in Bosnia and Herzegovina... because it suits some people... to exploit the pains of the past for their own gain.' John O'Brien Clonmel, Co Tipperary
Eyewitness News
3 days ago
- Politics
- Eyewitness News
Presidency slams DA claims that Mcebisi Jonas' credentials rejected by US
CAPE TOWN - The Presidency has slammed the Democratic Alliance (DA) for claiming President Cyril Ramaphosa's special envoy Mcebisi Jonas' credentials have been rejected by the United States (US). On Tuesday, the Presidency condemned the DA for what it called the harassment of Jonas, who was appointed by Ramaphosa to deal with delicate trade and diplomacy talks with the US. ALSO READ: Presidency condemns DA's 'harassment' of Mcebisi Jonas The Presidency was responding to DA international relations spokesperson Emma Powell, who issued a statement on Tuesday, saying Jonas has not been granted a diplomatic visa by the US and will be unable to perform his duties as special envoy. Powell said Ramaphosa has, for months, been fully aware that Jonas is not welcome in Washington D.C. 'The Ramaphosa administration was explicitly advised on multiple occasions that Jonas was not acceptable to Washington and was urged to appoint an alternative envoy.' But Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya was quick to reject Powell's claims, saying special envoys don't require credentials like other diplomats or heads of missions. In a statement, he said DA has positioned itself as part of what he called a 'right-wing nexus' that seeks to use a foreign state to effect changes to national policies in South Africa. He said the DA is trying 'cheaply but dangerously' to exploit a critical engagement between South Africa and the US to protest Ramaphosa's removal of Andrew Whitfield as deputy minister of trade, industry and competition in June. The DA's pronouncements and insults against countries and international organisations, such as the Republic of Cuba or the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), offend South Africa's international relations and posture. He said if the DA were to succeed in undermining South Africa's diplomatic relations, the party would harm the businesses and livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of South Africans who are dependent on good trade relations.
Barnama
4 days ago
- Politics
- Barnama
UNRWA Warns Of Israeli Plan To Create 'Mass Internment Camps' In Southern Gaza
RAMALLAH (Palestine), July 15 (Bernama-WAFA) -- The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) media advisor, Adnan Abu Hasna in Gaza, has raised alarm over Israel's reported plans to establish what it calls a "humanitarian city" in southern Gaza. Palestinian News and Information Agency (WAFA) reported that he warned that the initiative is essentially a blueprint for mass internment camps. In a press statement, Abu Hasna said Israel has long been laying the groundwork for such a plan through the establishment of aid distribution points in southern Gaza. 'Now, they are openly declaring their intent to forcibly displace the population of Gaza into collective detention camps in Rafah, as a prelude to their expulsion from Palestinian land,' he stated. He warned that this development signals Israel's continued commitment to the forced transfer of Gaza's population, expressing deep concern over the extreme pressure being applied to Palestinians. 'The total collapse of the healthcare system, absence of aid, and depletion of fuel are all being weaponised to coerce the population into voluntary displacement,' he said. He further cautioned that the so-called humanitarian zone is incapable of hosting Gaza's 2 million residents within just 60 square kilometres of devastated land, describing the area as uninhabitable and void of any semblance of life or future. Abu Hasna urged the international community to intervene immediately to halt what he described as a dangerous and deliberate attempt to forcibly displace Palestinians under the guise of humanitarian relief. -- BERNAMA-WAFA
