Pope Leo XIV spoke with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, renewing his urgent call for peace amid escalating violence in Gaza and the West Bank.
Newsroom (21/07/2025, Gaudium Press )In a poignant telephone conversation on Monday morning, Pope Leo XIV spoke with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, renewing his urgent call for peace amid escalating violence in Gaza and the West Bank. The Holy See Press Office confirmed the discussion, which focused on the worsening conflict and its devastating humanitarian toll.
The Pope reiterated his plea for strict adherence to International Humanitarian Law, emphasizing the need to protect civilians and sacred sites, prohibit indiscriminate use of force, and reject the forced displacement of populations. “Given the tragic humanitarian situation,” the Vatican statement noted, “the Holy Father stressed the urgent need to provide assistance to those most vulnerable and to ensure adequate entry of humanitarian aid.”
The call also marked the tenth anniversary of the Comprehensive Agreement between the Holy See and the State of Palestine, signed on June 26, 2015, and in effect since January 2, 2016, which Pope Leo described as “auspicious.”
Mourning Losses at Holy Family Parish
The conversation followed Pope Leo’s heartfelt remarks during Sunday’s Angelus prayer at his summer residence in Castel Gandolfo, where he mourned the deaths of three Gazans killed in an Israeli attack on the Holy Family Catholic parish in Gaza City. The Thursday morning strike, which left several others injured, including parish priest Fr. Gabriel Romanelli, claimed the lives of Saad Issa Kostandi Salameh, Foumia Issa Latif Ayyad, and Najwa Ibrahim Latif Abu Daoud. Approximately 600 people had been sheltering at the parish.
Addressing the faithful, Pope Leo expressed “deep sorrow” over the attack, describing it as “just one of the continuous military attacks against the civilian population and places of worship in Gaza.” He called for “an immediate halt to the barbarity of the war” and urged the international community to uphold humanitarian law, specifically the protection of civilians and the prohibition of collective punishment, indiscriminate force, and forced displacement.
A Message of Solidarity
In closing, Pope Leo extended a message of support to Christian communities in the Middle East, acknowledging their sense of helplessness in the face of the ongoing crisis. “You are in the heart of the Pope and of the whole Church,” he said. “Thank you for your witness of faith.”
The Pope’s appeals underscore the Vatican’s ongoing commitment to advocating for peace and humanitarian relief in the region, as the conflict continues to exact a heavy toll on civilians and sacred sites.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from Vatican News
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