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Pope Leo laments deaths of children in Gaza, appeals for ceasefire
The pope has called for an end to the onslaught in Gaza during a weekly general audience in Saint Peter’s Square.
“In the Gaza Strip, the intense cries are reaching Heaven more and more from mothers and fathers who hold tightly to the bodies of their dead children,” the pontiff, who was elected on May 8 to replace the late Pope Francis, said.
“To those responsible, I renew my appeal: stop the fighting,” he added. “Liberate all the hostages. Completely respect humanitarian law.”
UK and Irish writers pen open letter calling for Gaza ceasefire
Nearly 380 writers from the UK and Ireland have signed an open letter demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, labelling Israel’s actions in the enclave a “genocide”.
The letter, signed by high-profile writers including Zadie Smith, Ian McEwan and Jeanette Winterson, called on the world “to join us in ending our collective silence and inaction in the face of horror”.
The letter also called for the immediate distribution of food and medical aid in Gaza, as well as sanctions on Israel.
“This genocide implicates us all,” it concluded. “We bear witness to the crimes of genocide, and we refuse to approve them by our silence.”
The letter comes a day after 300 French-language writers, including Nobel Literature prize winners Jean-Marie Gustave Le Clezio and Annie Ernaux, put their names to a similar letter decrying Israel’s actions.
On Monday, more than 800 UK-based legal experts, including former senior judges, wrote to UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer calling for sanctions on Israel, and warning that “urgent and decisive action is required to avert the destruction of the Palestinian people of Gaza.”
Families in Tel Aviv mark 600 days for Gaza captives
Families of captives held in Gaza lashed out at Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a protest to mark 600 days of war.
UAE summons Israeli ambassador over Jerusalem rally ‘violations’
The United Arab Emirates has summoned Israel’s ambassador to the country to express its condemnation of “provocative practices by Israeli extremists” during a rally in Jerusalem earlier this week, according to the WAM state news agency WAM.
Thousands of right-wing Israelis marched through occupied East Jerusalem on Monday to celebrate Israel’s occupation of the city in 1967 following the Six-Day War.
They made their way through Palestinian neighbourhoods, chanting “death to Arabs” and anti-Islamic slogans.
WAM said the UAE condemned “the deplorable and offensive violations against the Palestinian people that took place in the courtyard of Al-Aqsa Mosque”.
It said the Gulf state had urged the Israeli government “to assume full responsibility, condemn these hostile acts, hold perpetrators accountable without exception to ministers and officials”.
