Pope Leo has decried conditions for Palestinians in Gaza in his first Christmas sermon as pontiff, in an unusually direct appeal during what is normally a solemn, spiritual service on the day Christians across the globe celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ.Leo, the first American pope, said on Thursday that the story of Jesus being born in a stable showed that God had “pitched his fragile tent” among the people of the world.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list“How, then, can we not think of the tents in Gaza, exposed for weeks to rain, wind and cold?” he asked.Leo, celebrating his first Christmas after being elected in May by the world’s cardinals to succeed the late Pope Francis, has a quieter, more diplomatic style than his predecessor and usually refrains from making political references in his sermons.But the new pope has also lamented the conditions for Palestinians in Gaza several times recently and told journalists last month that the only solution in the decades-long conflict between Israel and Palestine must include a Palestinian state.Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire in October after two years of intense bombardment and military operations in Gaza, but humanitarian agencies say there is still too little aid getting into …
