Two Irish women trapped in Gaza

Treasa Ni Cheannabhain, left, and her daughter Naisrin el-Safty

Two Irish women have become trapped in Gaza after sneaking into the Hamas controlled Palestinian area.

Egyptian authorites refused to let Treasa Ni Cheannabhain and her daughter, Naisirin Elsafty, back into Egypt.

Both women are members from the Galway branch of the Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign.

Egyptian border officials refused them entry, even though Ms Ni Cheannabhain is married to an Egyptian citizen.

The women crossed over into Gaza illegally from Egypt last Saturday after being refused legal entry by Egyptian authorities.

They had been distributing money to disadvantaged Palestinians collected by the Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign.

The women are now at the border and have been in contact with both the Irish and Egyptian embassies.

On Sunday, Egyptian forces resealed the Gaza border, nearly two weeks after its Israeli-built barriers had been blown apart by militants.