VATICAN CITY (RNS) — Pope Leo XIV made a heartfelt appeal for a ceasefire in Gaza in St. Peter’s Square on Wednesday (Sept. 17) as Israeli tanks advanced in Gaza City, displacing hundreds of thousands of civilians.
“I express my profound closeness to the Palestinian people in Gaza, who continue to live in fear and to survive in unacceptable conditions, forcibly displaced — once again — from their own lands,” Leo told the crowd gathered in the square.
About 1 million Palestinians lived in the Gaza City vicinity before Israel warned them to leave ahead of attacking. The Israeli military estimated 350,000 people left the city as a result, The Associated Press reported Wednesday, while the United Nations estimated about 238,000 Palestinians evacuated over the past month. Hundreds of thousands are thought to remain in Gaza City.
More than 65,000 people have been killed in Gaza during the war that began after Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry.
The pope noted God’s commandment of “Thou shalt not kill” and underlined the “inviolable dignity” of every human being. “I renew my appeal for a ceasefire, the release of hostages and a negotiated diplomatic solution, fully respecting international humanitarian law,” he said.
Leo invited faithful to join in prayer “that a dawn of peace and justice may soon arise.”
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