Pope Leo XIV on Wednesday urged the international community to end the nearly two-year war between Israel and Hamas, calling for a permanent ceasefire, the release of hostages in Gaza, and safe delivery of humanitarian aid. “This conflict has caused terror, destruction, and death,” he said during his weekly audience at the Vatican.
The pontiff, who avoided naming either Israel or Hamas directly, stressed that international humanitarian law must be upheld, including the protection of civilians, a ban on collective punishment, and prohibitions on indiscriminate attacks and forced displacement, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.
Leo, elected in May as the first U.S. pope, has taken a more cautious approach to the conflict than his predecessor Francis, who angered Israel by raising the question of possible genocide in Gaza. The war, triggered by Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023 attack on southern Israel, has killed around 1,200 Israelis and more than 62,000 Palestinians, according to official tallies.