The deteriorating situation in Gaza has taken centre stage this week amid continued warnings of starvation in the Palestinian enclave.
Irish Times International Correspondent Sally Hayden has spent the last three weeks in the West Bank and travelled close to the border with Gaza.
"The devastation was so evident - destroyed buildings, there was smoke rising I think from four or five places, multiple explosions happened when I was there - and it was only a few minutes."
She told Behind the Story she was shocked by what she witnessed and surprised to also see tour groups coming to see what was happening.
"They were just going to have a look at what was going on.
"It was very surreal because you can have these declarations of famine or starvation, but a kilometre away people have food.
"At this viewing point there was a vending machine with people getting fizzy drinks and afterwards I drove by cafés and restaurants.
"It's so close - you can see this devastation with your eyes from Israel".
'Starvation is unbelievable’
Ms Hayden also detailed the widespread misery being experienced by people in the West Bank.
"I met a lot of Palestinians [who] are not eating anymore themselves, even though they’re in the West Bank and there’s food there, because they can’t bear that there are people who are so close who are just going without anything".
She also met families who have been separated from their families in Gaza since 7 October.
They were forced to go to the West Bank and now there’s no way for them to get into Gaza.
"They’ve spent almost two years separated from their families, watching their families go through this.
"Two of the men were married, they have a wife and children in Gaza who call them every day.
"They were saying [that] the starvation is unbelievable."
For more than 21 months, Israeli bombardment and a lack of food have pushed nearly two million people of Gaza to the brink.
The health ministry there has said more than 100 people have died from starvation since Israel cut off supplies to the territory in March.
Over 100 aid and human rights groups warned this week that "mass starvation" was spreading in Gaza.
Read more: Doctor accuses IDF of 'playing a game' in Gaza shootings
It comes as France says it will recognise a Palestinian state in September - becoming the first G7 country to do so.
It is also the only European Union member which sits on the influential United Nations Security Council.
French President Emmanuel Macron said he believes "peace is possible" while also calling for an immediate ceasefire, the release of all hostages and massive humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza.
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