Pope Leo XIV on Wednesday decried the "unacceptable" conditions faced by Gazans, expressing his solidarity with civilians and reiterating his plea for a ceasefire in the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas.
"I express my deep closeness to the Palestinian people in Gaza, who continue to live in fear and survive in unacceptable conditions, forced once again to leave their land," the pontiff stated during his weekly general audience at the Vatican, as quoted by Reuters.
The Pope’s comments come after Israel launched a ground operation in Gaza City on Tuesday. Prior to the operation, Israel warned civilians that they should evacuate their homes. So far, more than 5,000 residents of the Gaza Strip are estimated to have left.
In renewing his call for a truce, the Pope also appealed for the release of hostages held in Gaza and a negotiated diplomatic resolution to the conflict. He urged the faithful to join him in prayer "that a dawn of peace and justice may soon arise."
In May, Pope Leo used his first address after his election as head of the Catholic Church to call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and the release of all hostages held by Hamas.
In July, the Pope vehemently denounced what he described as the "barbarity" of the conflict in Gaza and called for an immediate cessation of the "indiscriminate use of force," days after an Israeli military strike impacted a Catholic church in the region.
Earlier this month, the Pope met with President Isaac Herzog at the Vatican. Following the meeting, the Vatican released an unusually lengthy statement, noting that Leo had lamented the "tragic situation in Gaza" with Herzog.