In a powerful appeal for peace, Pope Leo XIV met privately with Israeli President Isaac Herzog to address the escalating humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the wider Middle East. The Holy Father emphasized the urgent need for an immediate ceasefire, the release of hostages, and unimpeded access for humanitarian aid.
According to the Holy See Press Office, the Pope and President Herzog discussed “the political and social situation in the Middle East… with particular attention given to the tragic situation in Gaza.” The statement expressed hope “for a speedy resumption of negotiations so that, with willingness and courageous decisions, as well as the support of the international community, the release of all hostages can be achieved, a permanent ceasefire reached with urgency, the safe entry of humanitarian aid into the most affected areas be facilitated, and full respect for humanitarian law be ensured” (Vatican News).
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The Holy See also reiterated its long-standing position that a two-state solution remains “the only way out of the current war,” insisting that both Israelis and Palestinians deserve security and dignity. The statement confirmed that discussions also included the situation in the West Bank and “the important question of the city of Jerusalem,” a place sacred to Christians, Jews, and Muslims alike.
Beyond diplomacy, Pope Leo XIV stressed the Church’s pastoral concern for all who suffer in the conflict, as well as the vital role of Christian communities in the region. According to the Press Office, attention was given to “the importance of Christian communities and their commitment… to human and social development, especially in the areas of education, the promotion of social cohesion, and regional stability” (Vatican News).
For Catholics, this meeting is a reminder of the Church’s mission to be a voice for peace. Pope Leo XIV’s call reflects Christ’s own heart for reconciliation: to seek justice, to care for the suffering, and to work tirelessly for a peace that respects the dignity of every human person.
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Did Pope Leo address the fact that not a single one of those Christians in Gaza moved a finger to help the Israeli hostages, for example the Bibas children? I did not hear a single word of protest against Hamas from that corner, all the contrary, they seem to be as complicit as the other Gazans, who support to over 70% a government, Hamas, that does not tire to declare their goal to wipe out the State of Israel from the surface of the Earth, also in writing, see their Founding Charta. Has any of the many Catholic prelates move a finger to visit or help the hostages, who are truly being starved, apart from other horrors! Does the Vatican deliberately ignore the FACT that it is Hamas, and even the UN who hamper the delivery of humanitarian aid? Rather, they chime in in the opportunistic defamation of Israel and the Jews. I am a Roman Catholic myself and am most deeply disappointed and troubled by the behaviour of my Church, against the people of our Lord Jesus Christ.
As Catholics and Christians, we are commanded to urge for peacemaking, not war. So did Jesus.