'Shameful' - Viewers react to RTÉ Prime Time as Irish doctor shares firsthand account of Gaza crisis

Last night, Waterford vascular trauma surgeon Dr Morgan McMonagle will share his firsthand experiences from the front lines in Gaza which he documented through a video diary recorded in recent weeks for Prime Time.

Social media users have reacted to the show and to Dr McMonagle's account.

Dr McMonagle 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, particularly as the recent ceasefire ended and the hospital was overwhelmed with casualties from a devastating Israeli offensive.

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One user said: "Humans seem to be regressing."

Another user said: "And no one should accept that. If you do, you have lost your humanity."

Another user said: "Shameful what is happening and bring allowed to happen. Bad things happen when good people do nothing."

Prime Time also showed the aftermath of the hospital being hit by a missile strike as Dr McMonagle and his colleagues were working inside 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. Dr McMonagle was inside the building and documented the events showcasing the damage that was done to the health care facility and how they had to continue caring for patients.

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“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. In the programme, Dr McMonagle describes the scenes and severe challenges faced by healthcare workers and patients.

“It’s a very inhuman and inhumane, mostly inhuman, thing to do to deny healthcare in a conflict,” he states.

You can catch up on Prime Time on the RTÉ player.