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Pope Leo XIV Renews Call for Gaza Ceasefire After Strike on Catholic Church

The plea came during his Angelus address following Israel’s inquiry into the church strike

Pope Leo XIV gestures on the day he holds a general audience in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, May 28, 2025. REUTERS/Remo Casilli/File Photo
ALBANO LAZIALE, ITALY - JULY 20: Pope Leo XIV greets the crowd as he leaves after presiding over a mass at San Pancrazio cathedral at Albano Laziale on July 20, 2025 in Albano Laziale, Italy. Pope Leo XIV will resume using the Papal Palace of Castel Gandolfo for the next six weeks of the summer. (Photo by Ernesto Ruscio/Getty Images)
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Overview

  • Pope Leo XIV reiterated an urgent ceasefire demand in Gaza on July 20 to halt what he called the war’s “barbarity.”
  • He condemned indiscriminate force, collective punishment and forced displacement, calling on the international community to uphold humanitarian law.
  • His remarks addressed the July 17 Israeli strike on Gaza’s Holy Family Catholic Church that killed three people and wounded ten.
  • The pontiff spoke with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to express “deep sorrow” over the attack, pressing Israel to safeguard civilians and places of worship.
  • After 22 months of conflict, most of Gaza’s two million residents have been displaced at least once, facing ongoing threats to civilian infrastructure.