Madonna asks Pope Leo to visit Gaza ‘before it's too late'
The American superstar, who was raised a Roman Catholic, pleaded with the new pontiff to visit the enclave in an Instagram post Monday and said:
'Most Holy Father. Please go to Gaza and bring your light to the children before it's too late. As a mother, I cannot bear to watch their suffering. The children of the world belong to everyone. You are the only one of us who cannot be denied entry.'
Madonna said she was calling on Leo to visit Gaza because 'politics cannot affect change,' but 'consciousness can.'
In the post, published on her son Rocco's birthday, Madonna said the best gift she could give to him is 'to ask everyone to do what they can to help save the innocent children caught in the crossfire in Gaza.'
CNN has reached out to the Vatican for comment.
Since his papacy began in May, the pope has been robust in his criticisms of Israel's war in Gaza, consistently voicing his concern for Palestinian civilians facing Israeli bombardment.
'I am following with great concern the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza, where the civilian population is suffering from severe hunger and remains exposed to violence and death,' he said in July, calling for a ceasefire.
According to UNICEF, the United Nations' children's agency, more than 18,000 children have been killed in Gaza since the war began in October 2023.
An average of 28 children have been killed a day there, the agency said last week.
An Israeli blockade on aid to the enclave has resulted in what the World Health Organization (WHO) has called 'man-made mass starvation.'
Madonna said that she is 'not pointing fingers, placing blame or taking sides.'
'Everyone is suffering. Including the mothers of the hostages. I pray that they are released as well,' she said.
WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus responded to Madonna's post on Monday, thanking her for her 'compassion, solidarity and commitment to care for everyone caught in the Gaza crisis, especially the children.'
'This is greatly needed. Humanity and peace must prevail,' he said.
At least 222 people – including 101 children – have died from malnutrition since the beginning of the war, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health.
Ramesh Rajasingham, the head of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), told a UN security council meeting Sunday: 'This is no longer a looming hunger crisis – this is starvation, pure and simple.'
Israel tightly controls the flow of aid and personnel to the enclave.
In a rare instance in July, Israel allowed two church leaders to visit after Israel struck Gaza's sole Catholic church, killing three people and wounding several others.
The church had served as a shelter for Gaza's tiny Christian community throughout nearly two years of war.
Since then, Gaza's starvation crisis has deepened, with images of emaciated children causing global alarm.
'We need the humanitarian gates to be fully opened to save these innocent children,' Madonna said. 'There is no more time. Please say you will go,' she wrote.
Whether Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government would grant the pope entry to the enclave is not certain, but Madonna's appeal underlines growing condemnation of the 22-month war, which has caused tensions between Israel and its allies.
Australia, Canada and France have announced plans to recognize a Palestinian state, with the United Kingdom conditionally saying last month that it will recognize a Palestinian state in September if Israel does not meet criteria that includes agreeing to a ceasefire in Gaza.
Madonna's comments come as a growing number of artists, including Massive Attack, Brian Eno and most recently U2, have highlighted the humanitarian situation in Gaza.
During a performance in late 2023, Madonna also criticized the Hamas-led October 7 attacks on Israel, and Israel's military response.
She called the war 'heartbreaking.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CNN
14 minutes ago
- CNN
Israel says UN chief warned it could be listed in upcoming sexual violence report
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has warned Israel about potentially listing the country's armed forces in an upcoming UN report on sexual violence, according to the spokesperson for Israel's mission to the UN. 'I am putting Israeli armed and security forces on notice for potential listing in the next reporting cycle, due to significant concerns of patterns of certain forms of sexual violence that have been consistently documented by the United Nations,' Guterres wrote in the letter sent to Danny Danon, Israel's ambassador to the UN, on Monday. The UN's Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict publishes an annual report titled Conflict-Related Sexual Violence, in which it documents sexual violence committed in armed conflict. Guterres' letter to Danon, which was shared by Israel's mission to the UN, said the UN is concerned about 'credible information of violations by Israeli armed and security forces, perpetrated against Palestinians in several prisons, a detention center and military base.' 'Due to consistent denial of access to United Nations monitors,' the letter said, 'it has been challenging to make a definitive determination regarding patterns, trends and systematicity of sexual violence in these situations.' Guterres urged Israel to take 'necessary measures to ensure immediate cessation of all acts of sexual violence.' A 2024 report by leading Israeli human rights group B'Tselem said that sexual violence was repeatedly carried out by soldiers or prison guards against Palestinian detainees. The IDF repeatedly rejected allegations of systematic abuse. Israel runs several prison facilities that hold Palestinians, including Sde Teiman and Ketziot Prison in the country's Negev desert, Megiddo and Gilboa near the West Bank, Etzion in Jerusalem, and more. Last summer, Israel transferred hundreds of Palestinian detainees out of Sde Teiman following a petition from human rights groups – which drew heavily on CNN reporting about the makeshift prison – for it to be shut down. In September, the High Court of Justice warned the prison must abide by the law, but did not order the government to shut it down. Responding to the letter on Tuesday, Danon said the 'Secretary-General chooses once again to adopt as their word baseless accusations, which are steeped in biased publications,' urging the UN to focus on sexual violence committed by Hamas. In March, a UN commission found that Israel had 'increasingly employed sexual, reproductive and other forms of gender-based violence' against Palestinians 'as part of a broader effort to undermine their right to self-determination.' It also accused Israel of carrying out 'genocidal acts through the systematic destruction of sexual and reproductive healthcare facilities.' Israel's mission to the UN in Geneva strongly rejected the statement at the time, calling it a 'shameless attempt to incriminate' the Israeli military. Last year, a UN team also found 'clear and convincing' information that hostages in Gaza were sexually abused and there are 'reasonable grounds' to believe the sexual violence was ongoing there. Pramila Patten, the UN special envoy on sexual violence in conflict, said the team had found 'reasonable grounds to believe that conflict-related sexual violence, including rape and gang rape occurred' during Hamas' October 7 terror attack in Israel. It amounted to the UN's most definitive finding on allegations of sexual assault in the aftermath of the attack. CNN's Catherine Nicholls contributed reporting.
Forbes
14 minutes ago
- Forbes
Foster Care Is Failing America's Foster Children
I 've spent over four decades in courtrooms watching an American tragedy continue to unfold. Children—some barely old enough to speak—face the traumas of abuse, neglect, removal from their natural parents, and then placement with a new foster family or shelter. They wonder whether they will ever see their parents and siblings again, which school they'll attend, and whether they'll be safe. Many are then reabused by the foster care system itself -physically, sexually, and emotionally. But when a young foster child is facing permanent separation from their family and siblings—one of the most traumatic and life-altering events imaginable—they are often expected to navigate failing foster care systems and the legal system without any personal advocate at all. No lawyer. No one solely committed to defending their rights, voicing their wishes, or challenging the bureaucracy on their behalf. This disparity isn't just immoral—it's economically reckless. When a Fortune 500 CEO is sued, they don't walk into court alone. They arrive flanked by teams of high-powered attorneys, expert consultants, and strategists—each one paid handsomely to protect their interests and secure the best possible outcome. That's what our society expects: when the stakes are high, you bring in the best lawyers. Putting this in terms business leaders understand, we're hemorrhaging money while destroying lives. America spends $8 billion annually on keeping 300,000 to 400,000 children in foster and substitute care, yet we refuse to invest in the one thing proven to reduce costs and improve outcomes—child protection systems that work and quality legal representation for children. When I litigated against New York City in the case involving Judith Leekin's "house of horrors," the settlement exceeded $27 million. Those children endured years of torture, starvation, and imprisonment while the system looked the other way. Had they possessed advocates from the start—lawyers whose job was to fight for their safety—that nightmare would have been impossible. Here's what guts me: every wasted dollar we spend on system failures represents a child whose life we could have saved. Children with attorneys spend less time in care, experience fewer placements, and achieve better outcomes as adults. Yet we continue throwing good money after the bad, funding a system designed to fail vulnerable children it's meant to protect. Human hands created secure environment for small girl. getty There are 29 states with child welfare systems with pending class actions or consent decrees because of systemic deprivations of children's most basic rights –the right to be safe from harm in these child protection systems. (Casey Family Programs, Class Action Summaries (2025 Update) (last visited July 14, 2025). New York, California, Illinois, and Florida –to name just a few states all face these class actions and systemic failures. At best, the Casey Family Programs that operate in every single state cite only a few 'Communities of Hope' programs and practices where children and families may have an opportunity to thrive with appropriate federal funding. (Casey Family Programs, State Data , (last visited July 14, 2025)). Foster care abuse is pervasive and systemic; it is not a collection of isolated cases; rather, it is a mass tort. Similar accounts of sexual and physical abuse during state custody have been reported by thousands of survivors nationwide; these accounts frequently involve the same agencies, placement systems, and oversight shortcomings. The consequences are staggering. In Florida's H.G. v. Carroll , advocates sued the state for failing to address severe foster home shortages and mental health needs in Miami-Dade County. In Illinois's B.H. v. Smith , the state stands accused of violating both constitutional rights and federal law by denying basic services. These are not isolated failures-they reflect a systemic disregard for children's welfare across multiple states. Now, cuts to the federal budget can only make matters worse. Medicaid, the Education and Training Voucher (ETV) scholarship program, and the Chafee Foster Care Independence Program are important programs that if cut off, leaving vulnerable youth without access to basic transitional aid, healthcare, or educational support. These reductions force children aging out of care to decide between continuing their education—often without a safety net—and working full-time. There Is an Epidemic of Sexual Abuse and Child Sex Trafficking in the U.S. Foster Care System Sexual abuse and trafficking in foster care is not rare—it's widespread, devastating, and far too often ignored. Studies show foster youth are significantly more likely to be sexually victimized than children in the general population. In some states, nearly half of foster girls report sexual abuse before or during placement. Group homes and poorly supervised foster homes are frequent sites of repeated sexual abuse and trafficking. The foster care system was built to protect vulnerable children. But when abuse happens within it, and no one listens, that system becomes part of the harm. Nationwide, Many Children Run Away, Become Homeless, and Are Victimized and Trafficked Every year, thousands of children go missing from foster care—many fleeing unsafe or unstable placements. Once on the streets, they face a high risk of homelessness, exploitation, and trafficking. A 2022 federal report found over 20,000 foster youth were reported missing, and it was noted that 1 in 5 endangered runaways were likely sex trafficking victims—most of whom were in state care. This isn't just a runaway problem—it's a systemic failure. Overburdened caseworkers, poor oversight, and broken placement systems leave vulnerable children exposed to trauma and even greater harm. Many Children Still Don't Receive Their Own Legal Counsel The truth is that 13 states do not routinely guarantee legal representation to all children including Illinois, Florida, Texas, and Minnesota to name a few (Counsel for Kids, Right to Counsel Map , (last visited July 14, 2025). Very few children can access lawyers when they are physically, sexually, and emotionally abused by the child protection systems. Far too many face a lifetime of trauma and other personal injuries. I've represented hundreds of these children who would not have any support after they turned 18. So many of these cases haunt me because no one would know about these permanently broken children because of the confidential nature of child protection systems. This isn't just morally bankrupt. We've created a child welfare system so broken that we've normalized permanent injury to these children who are denied the basic rights we demand for ourselves. The Adult Consequences of Abusing Children in Foster Care Twenty percent of foster youth become homeless within four years of aging out of the system. Twenty-five percent develop PTSD. Half never finish high school. These aren't just numbers—they're young people I've known, each carrying the trauma of a system that failed to see them as whole human beings. But appropriately funding child welfare systems and legal representation from the time of entry into the systems could change these outcomes. Children with attorneys are more likely to have appropriate therapeutic services and placements, maintain family ties, receive needed education services, and age out of child welfare systems independently. I founded Florida's Children First two decades ago because I'd seen enough. We've now trained thousands of lawyers to represent children in dependency court proceedings. We've passed groundbreaking children's rights legislation. We've proven that when children have someone whose sole job is fighting for their interests—not the agency's convenience, not the court schedule, but their interests—things change. But this is not enough! America Must Choose This isn't about more government spending—it's about spending smarter. It's about treating foster children with the same dignity we afford every other person in our legal system. It's about recognizing that a nation is judged by how it treats its most vulnerable. Business leaders who demand accountability, efficiency, and measurable outcomes in their companies should be outraged by a child welfare system that warehouses children without ensuring their voices are heard. You have the influence to drive legislative change, fund advocacy organizations, and demand that elected officials prioritize children's rights. The children can't wait for our convenience. They can't wait for the perfect budget cycle or the ideal political moment. Every day we delay, more children age out without ever having someone fight for them. After almost forty years of this work, I know one thing with absolute certainty: child protection systems are failing nationally. Children without lawyers usually get what's left over. In America, that's not just a tragedy—it's a choice. It's time we chose differently.
CNN
26 minutes ago
- CNN
Israel says UN chief warned it could be listed in upcoming sexual violence report
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has warned Israel about potentially listing the country's armed forces in an upcoming UN report on sexual violence, according to the spokesperson for Israel's mission to the UN. 'I am putting Israeli armed and security forces on notice for potential listing in the next reporting cycle, due to significant concerns of patterns of certain forms of sexual violence that have been consistently documented by the United Nations,' Guterres wrote in the letter sent to Danny Danon, Israel's ambassador to the UN, on Monday. The UN's Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict publishes an annual report titled Conflict-Related Sexual Violence, in which it documents sexual violence committed in armed conflict. Guterres' letter to Danon, which was shared by Israel's mission to the UN, said the UN is concerned about 'credible information of violations by Israeli armed and security forces, perpetrated against Palestinians in several prisons, a detention center and military base.' 'Due to consistent denial of access to United Nations monitors,' the letter said, 'it has been challenging to make a definitive determination regarding patterns, trends and systematicity of sexual violence in these situations.' Guterres urged Israel to take 'necessary measures to ensure immediate cessation of all acts of sexual violence.' A 2024 report by leading Israeli human rights group B'Tselem said that sexual violence was repeatedly carried out by soldiers or prison guards against Palestinian detainees. The IDF repeatedly rejected allegations of systematic abuse. Israel runs several prison facilities that hold Palestinians, including Sde Teiman and Ketziot Prison in the country's Negev desert, Megiddo and Gilboa near the West Bank, Etzion in Jerusalem, and more. Last summer, Israel transferred hundreds of Palestinian detainees out of Sde Teiman following a petition from human rights groups – which drew heavily on CNN reporting about the makeshift prison – for it to be shut down. In September, the High Court of Justice warned the prison must abide by the law, but did not order the government to shut it down. Responding to the letter on Tuesday, Danon said the 'Secretary-General chooses once again to adopt as their word baseless accusations, which are steeped in biased publications,' urging the UN to focus on sexual violence committed by Hamas. In March, a UN commission found that Israel had 'increasingly employed sexual, reproductive and other forms of gender-based violence' against Palestinians 'as part of a broader effort to undermine their right to self-determination.' It also accused Israel of carrying out 'genocidal acts through the systematic destruction of sexual and reproductive healthcare facilities.' Israel's mission to the UN in Geneva strongly rejected the statement at the time, calling it a 'shameless attempt to incriminate' the Israeli military. Last year, a UN team also found 'clear and convincing' information that hostages in Gaza were sexually abused and there are 'reasonable grounds' to believe the sexual violence was ongoing there. Pramila Patten, the UN special envoy on sexual violence in conflict, said the team had found 'reasonable grounds to believe that conflict-related sexual violence, including rape and gang rape occurred' during Hamas' October 7 terror attack in Israel. It amounted to the UN's most definitive finding on allegations of sexual assault in the aftermath of the attack. CNN's Catherine Nicholls contributed reporting.
