VATICAN CITY — Pope Leo XIV delivered a measured yet hopeful address on Sunday, acknowledging “encouraging steps” toward ending hostilities in Gaza and calling for renewed moral urgency to secure both a ceasefire and the release of captives.
Speaking before thousands gathered in St. Peter’s Square, the pontiff described the latest developments in the Israel-Hamas negotiations as “a fragile but genuine step toward reconciliation,” noting that “dialogue, when driven by conscience rather than vengeance, can still restore dignity where despair has taken root.”
Diplomatic sources across Europe and the Middle East have echoed similar optimism following Hamas’s formal engagement with Washington’s proposed roadmap for ending the months-long conflict. Pope Leo praised “the quiet persistence of those behind the scenes working not for power, but for peace,” urging all political leaders to “bind words with will.”
Beyond the geopolitics, the Pope’s tone shifted to human grief. He condemned the resurgence of antisemitic attacks worldwide—referencing the recent assault on a Manchester synagogue—as “a stain upon humanity that cannot be explained by politics, only by hatred.” In the same breath, he expressed sorrow for “the relentless suffering of families in Gaza, who have borne the cost of war they did not choose.”
Concluding his remarks, the Holy Father called on global faith communities to reject passivity and engage in “the difficult art of peacebuilding,” warning that “the world cannot heal while its conscience remains divided.”
