The Daily Star Ireland
Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald has urged the Irish Government to act without delay to facilitate the urgent medical evacuation of 18 injured children from Gaza. Her call comes amid growing concern that the operation may be postponed until the autumn, despite the escalating humanitarian crisis in the region.
McDonald Slams Bureaucratic Delays
Addressing the Dáil, McDonald criticized what she described as unnecessary “bureaucratic wrangling” holding up the evacuation. She emphasized the urgency of the situation, warning that “every chance exists these children could be killed” while officials deliberate over logistics and protocols.
McDonald insisted the necessary resources were already in place, saying the hospitals and medical teams in Ireland are prepared and waiting. “The only humanitarian approach is to get these children out now,” she said, underscoring the life-threatening risks the children face daily in Gaza.
Taoiseach Defends Government’s Actions
In response, Taoiseach Micheál Martin rejected the suggestion of any delay, stating that the Government is moving ahead with the transfer and will not obstruct the process. He reiterated that 12 children had already been flown to Ireland, accompanied by caregivers and family members, with a total of 45 individuals having arrived to date under the programme.
Martin condemned what he described as the “serial killing of children” in Gaza, referring to the ongoing military operations and civilian casualties. He declared that the war in the region “has no moral justification” and pledged that Ireland would maintain a generous and compassionate approach, especially concerning family members who accompany the young patients.
Visibly frustrated, the Taoiseach pushed back against McDonald’s accusations, accusing Sinn Féin of undermining the Government’s intentions in what he described as a purely humanitarian mission.
Medical Experts Raise Alarms About Gaza’s Collapsing Health System
Concerns about the pace and scope of Ireland’s response were echoed earlier by Dr. Morgan McMonagle, an Irish consultant surgeon with expertise in trauma and humanitarian medicine. Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, Dr. McMonagle painted a bleak picture of the situation in Gaza, stating that its healthcare infrastructure is “almost no longer functioning.”
The only partially operational hospital remaining, Nasser Hospital, has been effectively compromised. The surrounding civilian population has been urged to evacuate the area, making the facility itself a potential target. “By definition, it’s now unsafe,” Dr. McMonagle explained.
He stressed that the situation in Gaza has deteriorated to the point where basic survival needs like food and clean water outweigh even urgent medical care. “Medical treatment has become secondary because people have no food or water. Without these, they can’t recover from injuries anyway,” he said.
Complex Legal and Logistical Hurdles
Although deeply engaged with the humanitarian needs on the ground, Dr. McMonagle noted that he has not been involved in selecting which children are eligible for evacuation. The process, he explained, is highly complicated from a legal standpoint, involving issues of international jurisdiction, cross-border travel, and medical consent under wartime conditions.
Most of the pediatric cases in Gaza involve orthopedic and reconstructive trauma, particularly limb amputations, he added. “Scores of children have lost limbs. There’s no rehabilitation, no prosthetics, no sanitation—nothing,” he said. The infrastructure to support recovery or even basic safety simply does not exist.
In a stark depiction of life in post-conflict Gaza, Dr. McMonagle said that many injured children are now confined to their homes—often damaged or partially collapsed buildings—because they are physically unable to navigate the streets. “You rarely see amputee children outside anymore. It’s not just medical—it’s environmental, it’s societal,” he said.
