Pope Leo, in his first official phone call with Palestinian Authority President Mahmud Abbas, expressed deep concern over the ongoing violence in Gaza and the West Bank.
During the conversation on Monday, the pope called for strict adherence to international humanitarian law, highlighting the need to protect civilians and sacred sites, and to prohibit indiscriminate force and forced displacement of populations.
He also stressed the urgency of allowing humanitarian aid into Gaza and ensuring support for the most vulnerable.
The call follows Pope Leo’s recent condemnation of the war’s “barbarity” and his conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, after an Israeli strike hit Gaza’s only Catholic Church.
The Vatican, which supports a two-state solution, reaffirmed its commitment to peace and dialogue in the region.
