Morning update

Good morning Middle East Eye readers.

Here are the most recent key developments:

• The foreign ministries of Qatar and Saudi Arabia have welcomed the Australian move as well as the announcement by New Zealand that it was considering taking a similar step.

• The French president has praised Australia’s decision to join France, Canada and the UK in recognising a Palestinian state.

• Pop superstar Madonna said Pope is “the only one of us who cannot be denied entry" to Gaza,  urging him to “please go to Gaza and bring your light to the children before it’s too late” in a post on Instagram.

• The former US state secretary Antony Blinken criticised the plan by France, Canada, UK to recognise a Palestinian state in an opinion piece on The Wall Street Journal, saying that the “unconditional” step would not produce a Palestinian state or end the suffering in Gaza.

• Israeli strikes killed at least five displaced people in Khan Younis, and another four Palestinians near al-Faruq Mosque in the Zeitoun neighbourhood, according to Al Jazeera Arabic. The Wafa news agency reported that one person was killed in an Israeli attack on the Tal al-Hawa neighbourhood.