Editorial: Sometimes we have to confront horror

Since the invasion and destruction of Gaza by Israeli forces, I’ve largely avoided coverage of the carnage, death and overwhelming destruction.

After working in news for years, I know that I can’t spend too much time reading or watching coverage of it. Why? I just find it too disturbing.

You could say that’s a cowardly response to such horror and you might be right, but it’s my honest answer.

I think this sensitivity to violence and the massacring of innocent people has only increased since I had children. They do change you and how you perceive the world.

But sometimes you have to face these things and say something. I still try to avoid the worst details of what’s going on - I find it too painful and terrible to bear witness to. And the anger would be overwhelming too. How can so many countries and world leaders stay almost silent and watch on as this takes place? It’s truly disgusting even if I’m aware that political considerations trump almost any other consideration in international relations.

Sentiment and morality have little influence on international relations in all honesty and you shouldn’t expect much to the contrary.

This week, Irish vascular trauma surgeon Dr Morgan McMonagle will shared his terrible experiences from the front lines in Gaza on RTÉ’s ‘Prime Time’ on Tuesday night. The Waterford surgeon recently returned from working in Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis. The programme featured footage taken by Morgan McMonagle showing the horrific injuries suffered by Palestinian children and the challenges faced by medics in treating them. Recently when the ceasefire ended, the hospital was overwhelmed with casualties from an Israeli offensive. ‘Prime Time' showed the aftermath of the hospital being hit by a missile strike as Dr McMonagle and his colleagues were working last week. On March 23, Nasser Hospital was hit by an Israeli missile. Five people were killed and the entire floor had to be evacuated.

“We spent pretty much most of the night in the operating room. We had a blast injury. And then we had a girl, 11 years of age, with severe lower limb injuries and upper limb injuries from bullets from an Apache helicopter. She has a very high chance of losing both lower limbs…then her dad came in with severe injuries as well. He died during the night. That is the reality of what we’re dealing with.”

An estimated 50,000 people have been killed in Gaza since October 2023. Dr McMonagle said: “It’s a very inhuman and inhumane, mostly inhuman, thing to do to deny healthcare in a conflict.”

The show is available on the RTÉ Player is a terribly compelling watch.