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This is the Global News Podcast from the BBC World Service.

I'm Robin Brant and in the early hours of Monday the 16th of October, these are our main stories.

The US Secretary of State has urged Israel to do everything possible to avoid harming civilians as it prepares for a major ground offensive into Gaza.

The Israeli government says it's restoring water supplies to southern Gaza, although there's no electricity for pumping stations.

In other news, as we record this podcast, the votes are being counted following Poland's general election

with exit polls suggesting the right-wing law and justice party may be forced from power.

Also in this podcast.

If I can do that scale, I know I can do it and then I'll start with that.

Oh boy, hi, a power to me, Mickey Mouse.

I'm Brett Iron, I am the official voice of Mickey Mouse and I've had that distinguishing pleasure since 2009.

A major exhibition opens in London celebrating the centenary of the Walt Disney Animation Studios.

It will then tour around the world.

We start with the US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, who has warned that every precaution must be taken to avoid harming civilians as Israel prepares a major ground offensive in Gaza.

More than 2,600 Palestinians have now been killed by Israeli attacks on Gaza since the Hamas assault on Israel just over a week ago.

Then 1,400 Israelis were killed.

Mr Blinken added that Hamas's vision for the future of the Middle East was one of death, destruction and terrorism.

He's been holding talks in Cairo with the Egyptian President Abdel Fata LCC, before leaving Egypt by plain the US Secretary of State spoke to reporters and stressed that Israel should do everything possible to avoid civilian casualties.

Israel has the right, indeed it has the obligation to defend itself against these attacks from Hamas and to try to do what it can to make sure that this never happens again.

...