The young girl’s father, who is immunocompromised, tells Ms McEntee he hopes to return to Gaza soon, with five children still left in the strip. “Of course”, is the girl’s reply when Ms McEntee asks if she misses her family. Ireland's foreign minister Helen McEntee speaking with Egyptian foreign affairs officials and humanitarian workers with Egypt's Red Crescent near Egypt's Rafah border crossing into Gaza in Palestine. “I asked all of them about wanting to get back home and straight away, that was their desire and their wish,” Ms McEntee said. ERC head of operations Mostafa Refaat told Ms McEntee about the issues faced by the aid agency.

Source: Irish Examiner January 14, 2026 12:13 UTC