Dozens of people waiting for aid among 94 killed in Gaza, authorities say
Five people were killed while outside sites associated with the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, the newly created American organisation backed by Israel to feed the Gaza Strip's population, while 40 others were killed waiting for aid in other locations across the Gaza Strip.
Dozens of people were killed in air strikes that pounded the Strip on Wednesday night and Thursday morning, including 15 people killed in strikes that hit tents in the sprawling Muwasi zone, where many displaced Palestinians are sheltering.
A separate strike on a school in Gaza City sheltering displaced people also killed 15.
Palestinians carry boxes containing food and humanitarian aid packages delivered by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (Abdel Kareem Hana/AP)
Gaza's Health Ministry said the number of Palestinians killed in Gaza has passed 57,000, including 223 missing people who have been declared dead, since the war began on October 7 2023.
The ministry does not differentiate between civilians and combatants in its death count but says that more than half of the dead are women and children.
The deaths come as Israel and Hamas inch closer to a possible ceasefire that would end the 21-month war.
US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that Israel had agreed on terms for a 60-day ceasefire in Gaza and urged Hamas to accept the deal before conditions worsen.
But Hamas's response, which emphasised its demand that the war end, raised questions about whether the latest offer could materialise into an actual pause in fighting.
Smoke from an Israeli bombardment billows over the Gaza Strip (Ariel Schalit/AP)
The Israeli military blames Hamas for the civilian casualties because it operates from populated areas. The military said it targeted Hamas militants and rocket launchers in northern Gaza that launched rockets towards Israel on Wednesday.
The war began when Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking roughly 250 hostages.
The war has left the coastal Palestinian territory in ruins, with much of the urban landscape flattened in the fighting.
More than 90% of Gaza's 2.3 million population has been displaced, often multiple times. And the war has sparked a humanitarian crisis in Gaza, leaving hundreds of thousands of people hungry.
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Irish Examiner
a day ago
- Irish Examiner
Is a sleep divorce the solution? How to get past the long, sleepless nights
YOU'VE got through yet another demanding day and can't wait to get into bed for a restorative night's sleep. After kissing your partner goodnight, you snuggle down under the duvet, close your eyes, and begin to drift into that longed-for slumber. If you're lucky, the next thing you know is that you wake up feeling rested and ready to take on another day. But many aren't so fortunate. Some of us sleep with duvet hogs. The person we love during the day transforms into someone who pulls the duvet off us at night so we wake up shivering with cold and have to wrench it back onto our side of the bed. This doesn't only happen once. It happens on repeat. All night long. Others, such as LTW's husband in a recent episode of the Sex and the City sequel And Just Like That, are kept awake by partners who talk in their sleep. Wendy Troxel, an American clinical psychologist and sleep scientist at the RAND Corporation and author of Sharing the Covers: Every Couple's Guide to Better Sleep, says there are many reasons why couples disrupt each other's sleep. Wendy Troxel, an American clinical psychologist and sleep scientist at the RAND Corporation and author of Sharing the Covers: Every Couple's Guide to Better Sleep, says there are many reasons why couples disrupt each other's sleep. 'Snoring or sleep apnoea is the most common, but other reasons for interrupted sleep are restless movement, different temperature preferences, needing space due to insomnia or other health conditions, and childcare responsibilities, particularly for the parents of babies or young children,' she says. Sophie Crinion, a consultant in respiratory and sleep medicine at St Vincent's University Hospital in Dublin, adds that some couples have mismatched body clocks, which can cause problems when one tries to adapt to the circadian system of the other. Night owls who force themselves to go to bed early can find themselves lying awake for hours on end, while morning larks who make themselves stay up late can feel exhausted the following day, she says. 'It can also be that one partner needs less sleep than the other and wakes up earlier, which also wakes the other. Often it's the partner with the shorter sleep requirements who sets the pace and the other finds themselves sleep deprived as a result.' Rather than lying in bed, sleepless and seething with resentment because their partner is keeping them awake, Troxel believes a growing number of couples are opting for a so-called sleep divorce, or choosing to sleep in separate beds. 'The most recent data from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine shows that more than one-third of Americans occasionally or consistently sleep in a separate room from their partner to accommodate their sleep needs,' she says. 'The trend is even more common for younger couples, with 43% of millennials and 33% of gen X reporting sleeping apart at least occasionally.' Importance of sleep Sophie Crinion, a consultant in respiratory and sleep medicine at St Vincent's University Hospital in Dublin. Picture: Conor McCabe Photography. In a 2015 US national sleep survey, 62% of couples said they would like to sleep apart, which suggests that more couples would consider a sleep divorce if they had access to spare beds or bedrooms. Crinion understands their motivations: 'Everyone knows what it's like to have the occasional poor night's sleep. It affects how we feel and function the following day. Because sleep is one of the foundation stones of our health and our body requires it for so many different processes, chronic sleep deprivation can have a more serious effect. Studies show that it increases our risk of hypertension, coronary heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, and cancer.' It can also impact us cognitively and emotionally, making it difficult to concentrate and leaving us prone to mood swings. A 2018 study published in the Journal of Neurology, Psychology, and Brain Research found that it even increases our risk of anxiety and depression. 'Everything from our work and social lives to physical health and mental wellbeing can suffer if we don't get enough sleep,' says Crinion. Sharing a bed with a partner who disrupts our sleep can also impact our relationship. A 2013 study from the University of California showed that when one partner disturbed the other's sleep, it increased the risk of conflict in their relationship the following day. By contrast, a 2016 study carried out in Germany found that sleep issues and relationship problems tend to coincide. Tim van Wanrooij, a Dublin-based counselling psychologist who specialises in working with couples, can see the pros and cons of sharing a bed with someone you love. 'Having skin-to-skin contact as you fall asleep creates a feeling of calmness and comfort, and releases relaxing hormones that can improve your sleep,' he says. 'It also creates more space for emotional and sexual intimacy.' However, these benefits can be undermined if sharing a bed means sleep quality suffers. 'You could end up resenting your partner for this, which could lead to a buildup of contempt, which is very unhelpful for any relationship,' says Van Wanrooij. 'Contempt and resentment can distort communication, lead to passive-aggressive behaviour, and create a rift between couples.' There is research to prove that bed-sharing can be positive for some yet negative for others. A 2022 study by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine indicated that people who slept with a partner had lower levels of depression, anxiety, and stress than those who slept alone. On the flip side, a 2023 study published in the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships found that poor sleep was associated with increased anger and decreased perceptions of relationship quality. Modern stigma Troxel believes that disturbed sleep could explain why having separate bedrooms was once a sign of status and wealth: 'Historically, those who could afford it usually chose to sleep apart.' It was only during the sexual revolution of the 1960s that cultural ideals shifted and sharing a bed became equated with closeness and intimacy. This eventually led to the stigma that exists today, in which admitting to sleeping separately can seem akin to confessing that your relationship is sexless and unhappy. Troxel points out that celebrities such as Cameron Diaz, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Victoria and David Beckham have all publicly lauded the joys of having a bed all to oneself. 'Celebrity couples admitting to sleeping apart could make the practice more normative and less stigmatised,' she says. If you believe a sleep divorce might be a good solution for your sleep problems, Troxel urges you to broach the subject carefully. You don't want your partner interpreting your wish to sleep separately as a sign that you have lost interest in them. 'Couples choosing to sleep separately don't necessarily indicate relationship trouble,' she says. 'It's how they communicate and approach the decision together that matters. It's important to approach the conversation with empathy and reassurance so that both partners' needs and concerns are heard and validated.' She recommends emphasising that the goal is to improve both the partner's sleep and wellbeing, allowing you to be more supportive of each other. 'Use 'I' statements such as 'I've noticed I'm not sleeping well and I think it's affecting my mood and our time together',' she says. 'Invite your partner to share their feelings too. Frame it as a joint decision to support your relationship, not a rejection.' Tim van Wanrooij, a Dublin-based counselling psychologist who specialises in working with couples, can see the pros and cons of sharing a bed with someone you love. Van Wanrooij says sensitivity is essential: 'Reassure the other person that you wanting to sleep in another bed isn't because the spark has gone from the relationship but about needing a good night's sleep.' He also advises being willing to experiment: 'Try sleeping apart for a few nights to see how it affects your sleep, your wellbeing, and your relationship. Then continue to communicate about the effect it's having and adjust the arrangement accordingly. 'For example, you might decide to only sleep separately during the week.' If you opt for a total sleep divorce, he stresses that it's essential to make sure you're still creating space for intimacy: 'Don't fall into the trap of building entirely separate morning and evening routines as that can lead to drifting apart. Small things like bringing a coffee to the other person in bed in the morning, getting in beside them and sharing five or 10 minutes means intimacy continues to be maintained.' Given the rising cost of housing, it's likely that couples who would like to file for a sleep divorce can't, as they are unable to afford a spare bedroom. What are the options for them? Troxel says they don't have to endure sleepless nights: 'If noise is the problem, they can try earplugs, white noise machines, sleep headphones, or staggered bedtimes. 'If tossing and turning or sheet stealing is the culprit, separate duvets or two mattresses under one mattress topper can minimise disturbances. And if snoring is to blame, encourage your partner to seek medical evaluation as snoring can be a sign of sleep apnoea, which is a serious medical condition.' Couples should aim to find the solution that works best for them, without feeling a sense of shame or stigma, she adds. 'Ultimately, good sleep is vital for a healthy relationship,' she says. 'Research consistently shows that sleeping apart is often a practical solution to improving sleep quality and not necessarily a sign of relationship problems. 'In fact, prioritising good sleep can lead to better moods, less conflict, and a healthier relationship overall.' Snore solutions If your partner snores like a foghorn, rest assured you are not alone. Dr Sophie Crinion, a consultant in respiratory and sleep medicine at St Vincent's University Hospital in Dublin, says that 20% to 45% of people snore. 'Most snoring occurs because the mouth is open and there are products available that encourage people to keep their mouths closed while asleep so that they breathe through their nose,' she says. 'Nasal strips or mouth guards that fit inside the mouth and alter the position of the jaw can help some people.' The noise that is made when snoring happens because soft tissues at the back of the airways vibrate. 'Exercises that improve the tone of these muscles have been shown to improve snoring for some,' says Crinion. 'These include singing, playing brass instruments or the digeridoo, or certain tongue exercises.' If a person is overweight, losing weight can be an effective way of stopping, or improving, snoring. 'By removing some of the excess fatty tissue around the neck, they increase the size of the airway, which helps with airflow,' says Crinion. Avoiding alcohol is another tactic. It has a sedative effect, which relaxes the jaw and throat muscles, making those soft tissues at the back of the airway more likely to vibrate. Some people are more likely to snore when they sleep on their backs. This means that adjusting their sleeping position can reduce their snoring. 'There are positional snoring aids available such as pillows that make sure you can't turn onto your back during sleep,' says Crinion. Stopping snoring may be a process of trial and error. 'What works for one person may not work for another, which means it's difficult to be prescriptive,' she says. 'The best thing might be to pay attention to the factors that might be contributing to your snoring. What food and drink are you consuming during the day for example? What position are you sleeping in? You might be able to spot patterns that way and adjust it accordingly.' Finally, Crinion warns that snoring can indicate an underlying health problem. 'If your snoring has an unusual pattern, if it's quite irregular, if you stop breathing and that's followed by a loud snore or if your snoring is waking you, it could suggest other issues to do with airflow and breathing,' she says. 'Check it out with your doctor.'
Irish Examiner
a day ago
- Irish Examiner
'Everything in Gaza finds a horrific, heartbreaking way to get worse'
A child has been killed every hour of every single day in Gaza over the past 21 months. Now, death by dehydration has become the latest barbaric tool being used by Israel against Palestinians. The latest 60-day ceasefire proposal announced this week provides a glimmer of hope, but it will have come too late for many Gazan children, who have been denied a safe home to live, a school to learn in, food to eat and in recent weeks, water to drink. "Everything in Gaza somehow finds this horrific, heartbreaking way to get worse," Unicef's James Elder said on his three-day visit Dublin this week. As Unicef's global spokesman, many of his often passionate videos from within Gaza have gone viral, but it has been the use of water as a weapon against women and children that shocked him on his latest trip to the Palestinian enclave. Mild dehydration can cause headaches, dizziness, and fatigue, while severe dehydration can result in organ damage and seizures. As humans, we can only survive between three and five days without water. Temperatures in Khan Yunis, where people in northern Gaza were ordered to yet again evacuate to, have averaged 31C this week. Women, children and the elderly have yet again packed up whatever they can carry to walk in the heat to a so-called safe zone. But of course, nowhere is safe. On Wednesday, a major reservoir in the south was deemed to be in an evacuation zone, meaning a source of water that served tens of thousands of people was suddenly made inaccessible. "When you drive through tens of thousands of displaced people, you see every single person carrying something for water, just in case a truck comes — that level of stress on a population for water at a time of malnutrition, at a time of disease, at a time of peak summer, is creating tension and fear that is new on top of existing trauma," Mr Elder said. In February this year, at a time when the flow of aid into Gaza had resumed, Oxfam warned the deliberate destruction of water infrastructure in Gaza had increased spread of waterborne diseases to catastrophic levels, with 46,000 cases of infectious illnesses reported weekly, mostly impacting children. It was then estimated that more than 80% of water and sanitation infrastructure across the Gaza Strip had been partially or entirely destroyed. Oxfam's own 85-tonne shipment of water pipes, fittings and water tanks had been held up for more than six months because it was deemed as dual-use and 'oversized' to enter. But since the collapse of the last six-week temporary ceasefire in March, the flow of humanitarian aid has plummeted to a trickle, all of which is now controlled by the ironically named Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. Before October 7, Gazans already relied on a ramshackle system of water provision. Three main pipelines running from Israel provided drinking water, along with a mixture of wells and desalination plants. But by March of last year, only the Bani-Saeed pipe was in operation, and this was down to 47% of its capacity. The other two pipelines had at that stage been non-operational for months, putting added pressure on the few operating desalination plants. "It has hit a rock bottom in the last month, and every single day it deteriorates, it gets worse. And that's based on very simply at the moment in Gaza water production, water treatment, water distribution, it all requires fuel, and Israel has put a more than 100-day blockade on any fuel getting into the Gaza Strip," Mr Elder explained. A lack of food has eked away at tiny bodies, leaving them vulnerable to disease and death. Since October 2023, at least 66 children have died as a direct result of malnutrition-related conditions in Gaza, according to Amnesty international. The victims include four-month-old baby Jinan Iskafi, who died on May 3, due to severe malnutrition. According to her medical report, which was reviewed by Amnesty International, Jinan was admitted to the Rantissi paediatric hospital due to severe dehydration and recurrent infections. She was diagnosed with marasmus, a severe form of protein-energy malnutrition, chronic diarrhoea and a suspected case of immunodeficiency. Many more children are dying as a result of preventable diseases that their malnourished systems cannot cope with, and with water now extremely scarce, people are seeking out sources that are not fit for drinking. "These are entirely political decisions. They have nothing to do with logistics," Mr Elder said of the water situation. "If they were to turn that around, if they were allow fuel in, or if they were to turn on the power that runs desalination plants, either of these decisions would change the water situation for Palestinians within 24 hours." Read More Unicef calls on Government to help evacuate injured children from Gaza hospitals
Irish Examiner
a day ago
- Irish Examiner
Dozens of people waiting for aid among 94 killed in Gaza, authorities say
Some 94 Palestinians were killed in Gaza overnight, including 45 who were attempting to get much-needed humanitarian aid, hospitals and the Health Ministry said. Five people were killed while outside sites associated with the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, the newly created American organisation backed by Israel to feed the Gaza Strip's population, while 40 others were killed waiting for aid in other locations across the Gaza Strip. Dozens of people were killed in air strikes that pounded the Strip on Wednesday night and Thursday morning, including 15 people killed in strikes that hit tents in the sprawling Muwasi zone, where many displaced Palestinians are sheltering. A separate strike on a school in Gaza City sheltering displaced people also killed 15. Palestinians carry boxes containing food and humanitarian aid packages delivered by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (Abdel Kareem Hana/AP) Gaza's Health Ministry said the number of Palestinians killed in Gaza has passed 57,000, including 223 missing people who have been declared dead, since the war began on October 7 2023. The ministry does not differentiate between civilians and combatants in its death count but says that more than half of the dead are women and children. The deaths come as Israel and Hamas inch closer to a possible ceasefire that would end the 21-month war. US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that Israel had agreed on terms for a 60-day ceasefire in Gaza and urged Hamas to accept the deal before conditions worsen. But Hamas's response, which emphasised its demand that the war end, raised questions about whether the latest offer could materialise into an actual pause in fighting. Smoke from an Israeli bombardment billows over the Gaza Strip (Ariel Schalit/AP) The Israeli military blames Hamas for the civilian casualties because it operates from populated areas. The military said it targeted Hamas militants and rocket launchers in northern Gaza that launched rockets towards Israel on Wednesday. The war began when Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking roughly 250 hostages. The war has left the coastal Palestinian territory in ruins, with much of the urban landscape flattened in the fighting. More than 90% of Gaza's 2.3 million population has been displaced, often multiple times. And the war has sparked a humanitarian crisis in Gaza, leaving hundreds of thousands of people hungry.
