EVERY WEEKDAY EVENING, The Journal brings you five of the biggest stories of the day.

1. #GAZA: Leo Varadkar has said he believes Israel is “making a huge mistake” in relation to Gaza and Palestine, and noted that even the United States is having “second thoughts” about what is unfolding.

2. #SHOPLIFTING: Retailers told politicians today that over the last two years there has been an “explosion” of shoplifting, with the levels of crime, violence and anti-social behaviour towards staff at an all-time high.

3. #MEDICAL AID: An Irish-Palestinian doctor has detailed the dwindling amount of support and services available in hospitals inside the bombarded Gaza Strip.

4.#DUBLIN CITY: A youth has been spared a custodial sentence for an attack on a Dublin street where a Chinese man was beaten up in front of his daughter and racially abused.

5. #ODHRAN KELLY: PSNI officers who are investigating the murder of a young nursing assistant in Lurgan have arrested a 30-year-old woman on suspicion of  perverting the course of justice.