Pope Leo XIV on Wednesday condemned the “unacceptable” conditions faced by Palestinians in Gaza, expressing solidarity with civilians and calling once again for a ceasefire in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.
“I express my deep closeness to the Palestinian people in Gaza, who continue to live in fear and survive in unacceptable conditions, forced once again to leave their land,” the pope said during his weekly general audience at the Vatican, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.
The remarks come as Israel launched a major ground assault on Gaza City on Tuesday, prompting hundreds of thousands of residents to flee their homes amid what locals described as the heaviest bombardment in two years of war.
Pope Leo renewed his appeal for a truce, the release of hostages held in Gaza, and a negotiated diplomatic solution to the conflict. He also called on the faithful to join him in prayer “that a dawn of peace and justice may soon arise.”
Elected as the first U.S. pope in May, Leo has intensified his calls for a halt to the violence in recent weeks. Earlier this month, he met with Israeli President Isaac Herzog at the Vatican, during which he lamented the “tragic situation in Gaza,” according to a Vatican statement issued after the meeting.
