Overview

• Pope Leo called for a permanent ceasefire, the release of all hostages, safe humanitarian access, and full respect for humanitarian law, highlighting bans on collective punishment, indiscriminate force, and forced displacement.
• The Latin and Greek Orthodox patriarchs said evacuation orders were issued in several Gaza City neighborhoods and warned that preparations for a major Israeli operation appear underway.
• The patriarchs argued there is no justification for the deliberate and forcible mass displacement of civilians and urged an end to the spiral of violence.
• Church leaders said the Saint Porphyrius and Holy Family compounds are sheltering hundreds who are weakened and malnourished, warning that attempting to flee south would be a death sentence.
• Gaza’s Hamas-run Health Ministry said 10 people died of famine and malnutrition in the past 24 hours, bringing its reported starvation toll to 313 including 119 children, figures not corroborated by independent sources; the war began after the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attack that killed about 1,200 in Israel and saw 251 hostages taken, while Palestinian estimates put Gaza deaths at roughly 70,000.