Irishman John Ging is due to receive a special Front Line award in Dublin today in recognition of his work with the Palestinian population in Gaza.

THE head of the UN relief agency in Gaza has called on Israel to allow immediate access for supplies and aid into the war-torn region warning that up to 90% of its citizens are surviving on handouts.

Conflict-ravaged Gaza is still being starved of food and medicines but its children offer fresh hope for the future, an Irish UN official said today.

THE Taoiseach has strongly condemned the Israeli attacks in Gaza — denouncing them as “disproportionate” and a hindrance to long-term peace in the region.

International outrage grew over civilian deaths in Gaza tonight after an Israeli bombardment killed at least 34 people, many of them children, near a UN school.

UN construction work in Gaza has stopped on all building projects because of a shortage of materials in the Mideast.

Palestinian militants opened fire at a festival at a UN-operated primary school in the southern Gaza Strip today, killing a bodyguard of a local Fatah leader and wounding seven other people, medical officials said.

An Irish man - who is a senior official of the United Nations in Gaza - has escaped an apparent kidnapping attempt.

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency today said it is adding 100,000 Gaza residents, mostly government employees and their families, to its food distribution programme to meet an increasingly desperate situation there.

Leinster Team Manager Ken Ging will retire after Friday night's game against the Newport-Gwent Dragons in the Celtic League.

MUNSTER manager Jerry Holland last night described as “prudent” the IRFU’s withdrawal of full support for the Celtic League until all the commercial aspects are fully established and each union has signed up.