Meloni and 21 EU leaders: 'Summit on Ceuta needed'. Video call Tuesday, clash with Sanchez

Italy, along with 21 other European Union countries including Denmark and Germany, has formally requested an urgent meeting of EU interior ministers. The request, conveyed in a letter to the EU, aims to jointly assess and coordinate a European response to the mass arrival of migrants in the Spanish enclave of Ceuta.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has approved the video call, scheduled for Tuesday. She stated that the fight against illegal immigration requires solidarity and a unified European response. Ireland, holding the rotating presidency of the EU Council, will convene the meeting, chaired by Justice Minister Jim O'Callaghan, to discuss the developments in Ceuta.

The situation in Ceuta has been dire, with reports indicating that a second morgue has been set up at the military hospital to accommodate the bodies of migrants who died attempting to reach the Spanish coast. The hospital is also sheltering at least 500 unaccompanied minors who arrived during this wave of migration. The tragic death toll has risen, with another 17 bodies recovered on the Moroccan side of the coast, bringing the total number of drowned migrants to 84.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez strongly criticized the suspension of the Schengen agreement, calling it an action "dictated by ignorance or political interests" and contrary to European and human law. Meanwhile, the border between Melilla and Morocco was reopened after a 36-hour closure. Floating barriers have been deployed to help contain the migrant crisis.