Letters to the Editor: Plight suffered by children in Gaza a permanent stain on humanity
Palestinians receiving donated food at a community kitchen in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza. Picture: Abdel Kareem Hana/AP
While we all hope and pray that peace in Gaza will continue, there is no doubt that the plight suffered by the children in Gaza is a permanent stain on humanity.
According to the head of the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), the main victims of the ongoing assault on Gaza has been a group that were, by far, the most defenceless and furthest removed from all that was driving Israel’s insane campaign of death and destruction — children.
The head of UNRWA, Philippe Lazzarini, aptly described the Israeli offensive as “a war on children… a war on their childhood and their future”.
His stark warning was echoed by UN chief Antonio Guterres who said in a recent General Assembly speech: “If there is a hell on earth, it is the lives of children in Gaza.”
The UN chief went on to state that, in recent months, almost 70% of Palestinian civilians killed in Gaza were children and women.
According to figures from the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, since the war began more than 18,000 children have been killed, and nearly 40,000 have lost one or both of their parents.
In addition, there are more child amputees per capita in Gaza than anywhere else in the world, according to the UN.
A recent report by Unicef ambassador James Elder states: “We’re almost two years into this war and on average, 27 children are killed every single day, this means that a classroom of girls and boys have been violently killed every day for almost two years.
"In any sense this is a war on children.”
The report predicts that even if the war permanently stops now, by June 2026, malnutrition will threaten the lives of 132,000 children aged under five.
The most gruesome aspect of the carnage of Gazan children is the fact that it’s the result of a man-made conflict — between an extreme right-wing Israeli administration and Hamas terrorists.
Of course, this sickening conflict could have been brought to an end long before now if US president Donald Trump halted the supply of bombs, arms, and immense financial support to Israel.
For the sake of the children of Gaza, let’s hope and pray that the current peace campaign will continue.
I am appealing for used postage stamps which help me raise funds which I then donate to Guide Dogs for the Blind.
Recycling used postage stamps is such an easy way to raise money for the charity and I am always in need of all types.
If you are able to help I would be grateful if you could cut the stamps from their envelopes, leaving an approximately 1cm margin around the stamp, and send them to Guide Dog Stamps, PO Box 91, Virginia Water, Surrey, England, GU25 9AR.
My email address is stamps4gdftb@live.co.uk.
Thank you to everyone who has donated in the past. Your assistance in helping me to support this very worthy cause is greatly appreciated.
Recently I was in the position to watch a scene unfold in Cork City.
Some five or more homeless men had taken refuge in a sheltered entrance of a university.
Two members of the gardaí woke all those sleeping and informed them: “You can’t stay here.”
Members of cleaning staff were on standby as all sleeping bags were confiscated from the homeless and disposed of in five refuse bags.
Emer Walsh advises us that “the gardaí are happy to increase patrols in those areas” — ‘Behind the headlines: How Cork is fighting to restore confidence in the city centre’ , October 13).
But I ask how is this patrolling a meaningful approach to reduce crime?
This is not a matter of “cleaning up the streets”, this is a matter that requires compassion for other human beings.
We might turn our noses up at having to walk over people that have fallen through the cracks in our society, but let us remember this: One day it could be any one of us.
Regarding housing: One important solution would be to address the growing issue of fake or phantom bids, the withholding of information on other offers, and the frequent situation where properties remain advertised even after being marked as “sale agreed”.
These practices are frustrating for genuine buyers and distort the housing market.
I believe that estate agents should not be allowed to engage in auction-style sales at all, as most are not licensed auctioneers in the first place.
Their role should be to facilitate a fair sale between buyer and seller, not to create an artificial sense of competition.
If there are to be any bidding processes, they should take place on transparent, regulated public platforms.
Such platforms should include visible time limits for bids and require bidders to place a refundable deposit for each property they bid on.
This simple measure would discourage people from bidding on multiple houses at once, which currently drives prices up unnecessarily and causes significant delays when those bids are later withdrawn.
The current lack of transparency benefits no one except those looking to exploit the system.
Buyers end up wasting time and money chasing properties that are not genuinely available, while sellers may be misled about the true level of interest in their property.
In the end, this only contributes to inflated housing prices, prolonged sales processes, and an overall loss of confidence in the Irish property market.
Regulators such as the Property Services Regulatory Authority PSRA should consider stricter oversight of estate agent practices and require clearer separation between standard property listings and true auctions.
Public, traceable bidding systems would ensure accountability and fairness for everyone involved.
With talk of digital IDs, the usual scaremongering and conspiracies around technology has raised its ugly head again.
There is talk of governments tracking people or bizarre scenarios of criminals stealing ID chips from people’s hands for nefarious purposes.
However, there is no need for ID or chip hesitancy. This technology has many more useful applications, especially in education.
The ID/chip could be linked to an educational customer relationship management system.
All children could have their data on a phone, wristband, implant, or digestive tech and have their lessons updated daily.
They just wave their hand at a screen and up pops their profile and schedule.
This could also benefit teachers who could quickly assess who hasn’t done their homework, or which students may need extra support.
ID tech could be useful for university students too. With many different modules and assignments, it can be hard to keep up.
However, with constant tracking of the students’ progress in one place, issues could be addressed much more quickly.
It would also be good for the climate as there would be less to-ing and fro-ing by staff and students when an issue arises.
So, let’s not discard or dismiss a useful tool just because some people have watched too many times; and focus on how to utilise this technology to make life more simple, convenient, and comfortable for us all.
The election campaign has raised the issue of our first official language.
While Heather Humphreys was in government, my name was anglicised, changing Ó Gráda into O’Grada and now my election polling card has now gone further, making me an O’grada.
I have tried, in vain, to stop official bodies doing that. I am not Japanese or west African, and I want to retain the name my parents gave me.
Our language is the strongest symbol of our Irish identity, so what can I expect if Heather Humphreys is put in as guardian of our Constitution?
The published great nuanced pieces this week by Michael Moynihan (on public toilets) and Jude Sherry and Frank O’Connor (on dereliction).
There is some nationwide interest today in quickening up the CPO process — we wish everyone the best of luck with this aspiration.
In the interim, a couple of derelict structures in Cork come to mind.
Firstly, the former ‘Klondike’ women’s lavatory on Kyrl’s Quay, adjacent to the Bridewell, and surely not attractive to hooligans because of its location? Could this be reincarnated?
Secondly, if someone can give me the existential meaning of the Eircom phone box remains in front of the former AIB/IPB building on St Patrick’s St, that will win the Samuel Beckett Prize for creativity.
Please, somebody, Cork City Council, OPW, anybody, just give half a dozen angle grinder nicks to this former glorious edifice (notwithstanding the warm and fuzzy feelings, I’m sure, of former Eircom shareholders).
