At least 12 dead in Israeli attack on Gaza

European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said Monday that the EU condemns the killing of five Al Jazeera journalists in an Israeli airstrike, including correspondent Anas Al Sharif.

"We take note of the Israeli allegation that the group was composed of Hamas terrorists, but in these cases, it is necessary to present clear evidence, respecting the rule of law, to prevent journalists from being targeted," she said in a statement, quoted by Reuters . Kaja Kallas also urged Israel to allow more trucks into Gaza and improve the distribution of humanitarian aid.

The foreign ministries of Qatar and Saudi Arabia welcomed Australia's move to recognize Palestine, as well as New Zealand's announcement that it was considering taking a similar step, Aljazeera reports.

In a statement, Qatar's foreign ministry said the announcements were a "positive step" and are in line with significant support for the rights of the Palestinian people, "enabling them to exercise their right to self-determination and establish their independent state within the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital."

Saudi Arabia said that "the current phase requires peace-loving countries to recognize the State of Palestine and support efforts to end the protracted war, especially in light of Israel's continued violations of international law."

Madonna took to Instagram this Monday to make an appeal to Pope Leo XIV, asking him to “please go to Gaza and bring your light to the children before it is too late.”

"As a mother, I can't bear to see their suffering. The children of the world belong to everyone," the pop queen wrote in the publication, adding: "The Pope is the only one of us who cannot be barred from entering. We need the humanitarian doors to be opened wide to save these innocent children."

At least 12 people were killed overnight in Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip, Al Jazeera reports. In the Zeitoun neighborhood of Gaza City, IDF shelling hit two houses, killing seven, while in al-Mawasi, near Khan Younis in southern Gaza, bombs fell on a tent zone, killing five.

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We begin a new day of news coverage of the war in the Middle East. You can see what happened yesterday in this live article.

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