A heartfelt appeal, delivered with the strength of faith and the weight of moral responsibility.
At the Angelus, Pope Leo XIV raised his voice against the spiral of violence bloodied in the Middle East, calling for "an immediate end to the barbarity of war" and a return to diplomatic means to resolve the conflict.
"I ask again for an immediate end to the barbarity of war and for a peaceful resolution to the conflict," said the Pontiff, looking out from the window overlooking St. Peter's Square, referring directly to the dramatic situation in the Gaza Strip.
His words come in the aftermath of the military attack that hit the Holy Family parish in Gaza City, the only Catholic church in the Palestinian enclave .
The Pope also launched an appeal to the international community, asking them not to remain silent: «I appeal to observe humanitarian law and to respect the obligation to protect civilians, as well as the prohibition of collective punishment, the indiscriminate use of force and the forced displacement of populations».
A stern warning to all actors involved in the conflict, but also a call for collective responsibility on the part of international institutions.
