'Hell on earth, whether there's bombs dropping or not'

Vigil for the Palestinian people planned for Cavan this afternoon

As the first phase of the ceasefire in Gaza continues with releases of hostages in exchange with political detainees.

In total 33 Israelis are set to be released in exchange for about 1,700 Palestinians during the opening six week period.

After 15 months of fighting since the October 7 Hamas attacks, which killed more than 1100 Israelis, the Israel response has killed 45,000 Palestinians. According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, 92% of homes have been destroyed in Gaza, which is what many are returning home to face.

Megan De Siún is a member of the Cavan Branch of the Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign. The group has organised fundraisers and vigils in Cavan to show their support to people in Palestine.

Speaking to The Anglo-Celt, Megan outlined what the group are hearing from Gazans returning to their homes.

“I think people are returning to a lot of rubble and devastation and rebuilding,” she said.

This is against a backdrop of increasing food prices.

“We’ve been hearing the same thing, every donation that they are receiving, if they are lucky enough to be receiving them, isn’t going anywhere,” she said, describing how one kilo of flour is $30-40, while a dozen of eggs is upwards of $50.

“Aside from having no infrastructure, very little access to water and food, there is a lack of sanitation, healthcare, all of that sort of stuff, it’s basically hell on earth whether there’s bombs dropping or not.

“We’ve already had reports from Amnesty International saying it’s the worst place on earth to be a child at the moment but it’s potentially the worst place to be a human at the moment,” she outlined.

Megan regards the ceasefire as “fragile” with “no long term ceasefire plan”.

“They’re celebrating at least a break, a chance to breathe but there’s certainly not any celebration in terms of, we know what’s happening in the long term.

“Even with the ceasefire, there’s still an extreme apartheid system of law in place in both the West Bank and Gaza, there still is Israeli settlements, there’s no right of return for Palestinians, and there’s still the extreme issue of settler violence.”

A vigil for the Palestinian people will take place in Cavan at the bridge beside the bus station this Sunday at 6pm. “Whether hostilities strike up in the meantime, it’s an opportunity to mourn what could have been, and if it is seven days of ceasefire, it’s an opportunity to go okay, we’ve gotten seven days down first now lets take the next step.”

She continued: “There will be candles available for them to use if they’re happy to just walk up and sit with us for a minute, or of they’re happy to drive by and honk a horn we’d love that as well.”

Megan encouraged people “not to forget” or become “complacent” on the situation in Gaza.

“It is far, far, far from over,” she emphasised.