Head of the Catholic church Pope Leo XIV on Wednesday urged the global community to push for a permanent ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war, calling for the release of hostages and safe delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza.
Speaking at his weekly audience in the Vatican, he said, "I once again issue a strong appeal ... so that an end may be put to the conflict in the Holy Land, which has caused so much terror, destruction, and death."
The pontiff called for a permanent ceasefire, the release of hostages held in Gaza, and the facilitation of humanitarian aid, stressing that "international humanitarian law must be fully respected."
While he did not directly name Israel or Hamas, he highlighted obligations under international law, including "the obligation to protect civilians, prohibitions against collective punishment, indiscriminate use of force, and the forced displacement of the population."
Elected in May as the first American Pope to succeed Francis, Leo has generally shown a more reserved style, preferring scripted remarks.
Still, he has repeatedly pressed Israel to allow greater humanitarian access to Gaza.
Earlier in the August, American Popstar Madonna urged the Pope to visit Gaza and "shine his light" on the children there, for which the singer received backlash citing her close ties to Israel.
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Pope Leo will embark on his first trip outside Italy as the leader of the Catholic Church on Thursday, travelling to Türkiye and Lebanon, where he is expected to make appeals for peace in the region.
Pope Leo XIV celebrated his 70th birthday on Sunday at St. Peter’s Square, blessing the faithful and receiving messages from around the world, including from world leaders and children.
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