Pope Leo is demanding an end to the “barbarity” of the Israel/Palestine conflict after Israeli artillery struck the only Catholic church in Gaza, killing three and seriously injuring nine others, including the parish priest. Dozens of civilians were huddled in the Holy Family Church when the bomb hit.
The pope made the comments from his summer residence in Castel Gandolfo, where he called for “a peaceful resolution of the conflict,” stressing that civilian casualties are unacceptable by international humanitarian law. In his comments, Leo named the three victims – Saad Issa Kostandi Salameh, Foumia Issa Latif Ayyad, and Najwa Ibrahim Latif Abu Daoud – and expressed his “deep sorrow” at the event.
“You are in the heart of the Pope and of the whole Church,” Leo said to Gaza’s besieged Christian community. “Thank you for your witness of faith.”
Leo and Netanyahu
The day after the raid, Leo took a phone call from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whom he again urged to work towards a peaceful resolution to the ongoing conflict.
“We insisted on the need to protect the holy places of all religions,” Leo said of the call, stressing the need to find “true respect for people, for sacred places and to try to leave behind so much violence, so much hatred, so many wars.”
In a statement, Netanyahu explained that Israel “deeply regrets that stray ammunition hit Gaza’s Holy Family Church,” adding that “every innocent lost life is a tragedy.”
In addition to the pontiff, Netanyahu also had to answer to President Donald Trump for the strike, who was similarly displeased. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt explained that Trump did not have a “positive reaction,” to news of the bombing, and that he “quickly called the Prime Minister to rectify [the situation].” The State Department urged Israel to probe the strike, which it agreed to do.
Not all are convinced that the strike on the Holy Family Church was an accident, and Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, suggested as much.
“What we know for sure is that a tank, the IDF [Israel Defense Forces] says by mistake, but we are not sure about this,” Cardinal Pizzaballa said to Vatican media. “They hit the church directly.”
What Have Past Popes Said About the Conflict?
Previous popes have taken a similar stance against violence in the region, and have even explicitly supported Palestinian rights.
Following the outbreak of war on October 7, 2023, the late Pope Francis called for peace in Gaza and offered prayers to victims of the violence.
Before Francis, Pope Benedict XVI called for a "sovereign Palestinian homeland" during a 2009 speech in Bethlehem.
But the support goes back further than that. Pope John Paul II affirmed support for an official Palestinian state in March 2000 and called for "decisive actions" to help Palestinians living in poor conditions.
"Your torment is before the eyes of the world, and it has gone on too long... In a particular way, my prayers are with those Palestinians--Muslims and Christians--who are still without a home of their own, their proper place in society and the possibility of a normal working life," the pontiff said during a meeting with Yasser Arafat.
The Push for Peace
As the global political fallout from the strike continues, Leo, like his predecessors, remains focused on brokering peace between Israel and Palestine.
In their call, Leo strongly urged Netanyahu to seek a “renewed push” for the end of the conflict, stressing the “agonizing price” being paid by Gaza’s civilian population. And Leo urged the international community to “pray for peace, and try to convince all parties to come to the table, to dialogue and to lay down their weapons.”
Whether those messages are heeded remains to be seen, as is whether Netanyahu will face further consequences from the international community.
What is your reaction?
33 comments
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Minister Don
What can be said about this? I understand that accidents happen. But the fighting in the Holy city... I am ignorant of much and understand that, but I strive to know more. An article of a church that was destroyed? What about all the other houses of God of other religions that are destroyed because of hate? What about the other victims that were/are killed for worshiping differently than you or I do? Have the deaths of all the others become a normal part of life that we do not see it anymore? When we no longer see the deaths of innocent people as tragic, then maybe we need to rethink what we are doing. To my Brothers and Sisters of ALL religions, I send you my love and I pray for happy long lives. I pray we can open our eyes and see that just because we worship differently, does not imply that we cannot live together.
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Nicholas J Page
Yes end all wars now Give peace a chance too many people are dying and being injured unnecessarily. I pray 🙏 someone will see sense .
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Douglas Robert Spindler
Prayers have not been answered which means God must like what's going on. Sad we have a God that likes to see people killing each other.
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Brother Peter
I really doubt that the creator of the universe really worries about what's happening here.
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Minister Don
Pete, God sees us all. He is here for each and every one of us. He spends his time with us all, every step of the way. I hope that you will see the Great Holy of Holy's as I do, someday. These attacks on his houses are a great offence to Him. At the end, those responsible will see Him and have his great judgment to face. He also sees those that are helping the ones in need. They, all the people of Muslim, Jewish, and Christian beliefs, working together to help rebuild and give hope and help to those who are suffering. That is what He sees and smiles upon.
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Minister Don
Dougie, no. You have it wrong. God walks besides us, he will carry us. He will not turn a tank into a rose peddle, or a gun into a glass of water. I am sure he can, but he has given us the free will to do as we wish. God will judge us all at the end. We can only help our brothers and sisters or choose to follow a different path and make a situation worse. God does not like to see people killing each other. This outrage saddens the Great One. I am so very sorry that you see the All Mighty the way you do. Please understand, the betrayer works hard at spreading hate. The Alpha and Omega spreads love and understanding. I beg you, do not allow that serpent of old, that devel, into your heart.
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Patricia Ann Gross
Where was the church located? Was it in the middle of a residential area or in the middle of a military/government/political headquarters? My guess is it was in a place where it was surrounded by civilians rather than the army, so there is no excuse or accident. Israeli warpower is more sophisticated than that. This was nothing but intentional.
And just to be clear, being against what Israel's war machine is doing is not anti-semitic, because this has nothing to do with the Jewish religion. It is about political power, which should never be tightly coupled with religion. I have the utmost respect for the Jewish religion and their plight in an anti-semitic world. But wanting to stop the genocide happening in the Palestinian area should never be considered anti-semitic. The focus should be on the fight between the Israeli government and Hamas and the horrendous collateral damage it is causing.
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Minister Mark Wright
Genocide is Genocide, however you may wish to cloak it. I hope all our prayers unite and connect to bring about a stop to all the suffering. I certainly hope we are all like minded in that space.
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Bishop William Dusenberry, DD
In my Secular Humanist Pantheist (SHP) denomination of our Universal Life Church, it’s learned (preached, if you will) that the greatest factor resulting in barbarity (starvation, war, famine, disease, as well as social mayhem, anarchy, and chaos) is the ongoing refusal, of the Roman Catholic Church (now joined by the GOP and the Southern Baptist’s) — the refusal to promote ( by legislation if necessary) the universal use of birth control— enabling each and every fornication — to not end in a pregnancy — unless the fornicating couple, wants to have a child, a child can afford to raise until adulthood. To be opposed to the use of birth control, by those living their lives under constant fear of war, access to work, disease, famine, lack of water, and access to the basic necessities of life, is to be an active participant in the greatest crime against humanity ever — since “Noah’s Ark.”
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Minister Mark Wright
Genocide is Genocide, however you may wish to cloak it. I hope all our prayers unite and connect to bring about a stop to all the suffering. I certainly hope we are all like minded in that space.
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Roy S. Thorpe
Reverend Paula nailed it exactly! The world should be ashamed for standing by and allowing the genocide of WW2 and now the genocide in Gaza! Disgusting! United Nations is a joke! Speeches will not stop people from destroying each other! Both children need the rod in this case!
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Lionheart
All he has to do is pray to his god, and close the prayer in the name of someone that is not a saint yet, and then when god ends the war, he can make that named person a saint. Isn’t that what happened recently to some child that was claimed to be dead and came back to life? So it’s very simple, I’m sure his god will listen, and if his god doesn’t take any action then Mr Pope will determine his god wants the war to continue. Job done! 🤷
🦁❤️
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Rev. MichaelRS
Pope Leo 😄.
You know what people like Hamas would like to do to Pope Leo if they got their hands on him.
The same thing they did to the Christians in southern Europe through up to 732 until Charles Martel stopped them.
And the same thing they did to Constantinople, which had been a Christian City for nearly a thousand years, in 1453 which turned it into Istanbul.
Islam is the very definition of settler colonialism.
So pardon me if I LMAO at the people who are ignorant of history today calling Israel a settler colonialist state.
What would have happened if five Arab/Muslim armies had not attacked Israel in 1948 or at any point there after? You don't really have to guess I will tell you.
Israel would be HALF the size it is today.
And I'm sure the Muslim Egyptians, controlled Gaza, and the Muslim Jordanians, who controlled Judea Samaria (aka the West Bank) would have been very keen to give the Palestinians their own state...NOT.
And before you say, "Well there was a Catholic Church in Gaza, why didn't Hamas do anything to them?" It's because they were a cash cow for Hamas.
They had to pay the JIZYA. Kind of lprotection tax like paid to the mafia that non-muslims pay for the privilege of living in Muslim controlled territories and worshiping as they will...
"This is a nice church that you have here. Be a shame if something happened to it...or any of your parishioners."
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Lady Mutt Cat
Israel SHOULD be half the size that it claims to be today. Or no size at all. You forget that all of the conflicts you cite are the result of Christian aggression. Ever hear of the Crusades?
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Douglas Robert Spindler
How many Synagogues did the Catholics burn/destroy in World War 2 and after? And now the pope is complaining because one Cathodic church was bombed?
God is answers the prayers of the Jews and not the Christians or the Catholics any more.
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Reverend Paula Copp
Wow! May your god help you.
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Lady Mutt Cat
The zionists need to be stopped. By any means necessary.
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Clive Hessing
An economic treaty needs to be resolved this war has gone a long enough.. meaning it has gone past the average time span that allots during a physical conflict between two entities. It is unusual for a conflict to be waged longer than a year on earth, either in the west or the east, contact the Gaza’n people and protect them, give them refuge in their own state. Un-enlist the people in Hamas and send them to reform. A claim a to being Muslim is an oath to read the entire Koran without hesitation allotting in understanding, the imp is not a friend. We as Hebrews need to show Godly humility, our focus cannot be on destruction. This has been the biggest civil conflict between two sovereign entities since Korea(was once one) and the entire continent of Africa(was once split in two). Completely divided we fall. As followers of the one true God we all look to peace as refuge. A serious dispute must take place verbally and patiently between both sides, a refusal to do so and come to a peaceful resolution only reveals cowardice, live don’t die. Here in the the sky above two lands he established shouting No More War! The Lord will seal up all the tunnels it is time as scripture instructs they will fill, move! Out, Of there
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Patricia Ann Gross
Since the time of Moses, Israel has been fighting for its land. This is not a "new thing." It will still be going on when all of us are long gone. While Hamas made the first strike in the most recent conflict, it does not give Israel the right to bomb and starve civilians. It looks like (at least from reports over the weekend) that Israel is allowing aid to get in for a "few hours per day." Then the bombing will start again (I assume, anyway).
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Clive Hessing
They send food for who starve in both Israel and Gaza everyone in Israel where it is “Safer” has food every shipment the convoy sending most of what is received which starts in Israel and is transported to try and reach the refugee camps where there are innocent people are intercepted every time by terrorist cells (Hamas) tracked underground and feasted upon by all of the crooked soldiers they house in the tunnels there is more to the story than cnn will tell you with all their control over every news outlet they paint a picture like Israel is trying to starve hungry children when in fact the same organization who claims they protect their people (Hamas) does nothing to protect the civilians of Gaza nor do they feed them themselves they chew the very fruit meant for babies to be nourished while drinking their formulas and milk underground spitting and laughing all over the place with their mouth and bellies full. Disgusting! You would defend them show up and think they are a civilized organization before the abuse all the women slaughter all the men and drag your children into a war they do not understand. It is not the people of Gaza that is the problem it is “Hamas” I can agree the IDF is very irate and are in every sense of the word disturbed they have seen things in life that no person should have to see both the Gazans and the Israelites of today do not forget a crooked soldiers would take the very uniform off of his back and put on even the most honorable flag in existence where it on their back while they do these evil wicked fowl things you would see them and think that is a soldier from a different country only to find out they are imposters of the highest criminal organization the kingdoms of darkness. If a wicked man is destroyed so be it. It is when an innocent people are wrongfully represented, lied on, and tortured before having all right stripped from them is when I have an issue. It needs to end today without pointing a finger at any civilian life or specific nation because a nation is the people the government is simple rule. They destroy the future of any economy when they destroy the innocent whether that is their reputation or their very lives. Hamas is just like the Nazi and worse they are Satans children NOT the people of Gaza nor the people of Israel.
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Patricia Ann Gross
When did I ever defend Hamas? I know it is a corrupt and terrorist organization that has wrangled control over it's own people. I have only been saying this isn't a religious battle, but a political one, and have plead for people who want the genocide to stop not be labeled, especially as anti-semitic. If the press reports coming out of the area are jeopardized about who is at fault, it is the Israeli and/or the Hamas governments that are at fault NOT the Jews or the Muslims. The bottom line is that people are starving to death, and it needs to stop.
The good Lord knows that any democracy can elect a criminal regime to run their government and twist history and the press to cover it up. The US has done it [at least] twice in my lifetime. The current one is the 13th adminstration since I was born.
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Jannetje Eleanore Van Went
Personally I am shocked at what Israel has done to Gaza and then lied about repeatedly...blocking food and supplies is bothersome...the people are starving to death. This isn't war, this is sick oppression, they know Gaza can't compete in a war against them...the war is just an excuse to attack a small community and pressure them into global or international positions.
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Alexander Clarke
As long as there is one Muslim and one Jew they will fight.
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JaZe
What does Israel care about the Pope's wishes? zilch, niente, nada. A government that sees itself as 'the chosen ones' people sees itself above everyone else.
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Patricia Sydney Solis
Few people realize that the US atomic bombing of Nagasaki included mere feet from the hypocenter Asia's largest Catholic Church. Everybody attending mass that day were incinerated.
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Charles Wesley Fuller
the catholic church runs the planet(the "pope" claims to be the vicar of christ after all),he could stop all world violence if he wanted top.
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John A Carreiro
I guess if you are Christian reverend then your mention as to gods (small g and plural in meaning more than 1 god) you follow polytheism. Polytheism is having more than one god. Polytheism is the belief in or worship of multiple gods, as opposed to monotheism, which is the belief in one god. Polytheistic religions often feature a pantheon of deities, each with their own roles and functions. But let us put blame squarely on those who have sought this fight with their sneak and vicious attack on October 7th by Hamas on Israel. The Palestinian people elected Hamas to run their political affairs. These same folks support their Hamas leaders in this war. All that has to be done to end this war is to return alive and dead hostages, Hamas to lay down all weapons and surrender, and step down as the political leader of Gaza. God or no God, Hamas will not do this and end the killing and humanitarian crisis. As a Christian reverend God has stated that self defense is allowed when one is attacked by evil forces. There was no Palestine until the early 1980’s. There is an old saying, “ Be careful what you wish for because you might just get it.”. The Palestinian people and Hamas wanted this war and they got it. If you could just imagine that when Hitler was waging war in the good v evil time had we followed the peace at any cost we just might be saying Sig hiel today. Rev J
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Alejandro Medina de Wit
Apparently the church only cares when it's property is being touched. The Church doesn't really care about the murdered civilians... Same happend with the previous nazis when they killed all the jews on WWII and now those jews are the new nazis
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JT Sunrise
🕊️ POPE LEO’S MESSAGE IN CONTEXT
Pope Leo XIV recently denounced the “barbarity of war” in Gaza and Israel, invoking humanitarian law and demanding protection for civilians. He mourned the deaths resulting from an Israeli strike on Gaza’s only Catholic church—where dozens sought shelter—and urged the international community to cease collective punishment and displacement of Palestinians. Leo also appealed directly to Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Mahmoud Abbas for dialogue and peace  .
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📜 SCRIPTURE AND MORAL TRUTH
The Pope’s appeal resonates with sacred truths across traditions: • “Let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.” — Amos 5:24 • “Whoever saves a life… it is as if they saved all of mankind.” — Qur’an 5:32 • “The welfare of all is the welfare of the Self.” — Mahabharata
The murder of civilians, attacks on places of worship, and forced displacement violate these core mandates. No tradition grants moral license for such violence—even in times of war.
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🧠 PHILOSOPHY AND BIOETHICS
- Dehumanizing Others Destroys Societies
Philosophically, systems that strip identity and shelter—even for strategic gain—poison social cohesion. Devaluation of one group ricochets across all.
- Trauma Is Systemic
Empirical studies show that war and forced displacement inflict epigenetic, psychological, and generational trauma. Even dense resilience collapses if not upheld by justice and truth.
- Violence Invades the Sacred
When civilians gather in sacred spaces for refuge—only to face violence—religion itself becomes a battlefield. That perversion of sanctuary is spiritual violence.
🌍 REV. JTSUNRISE’S RESPONSE
Recognition: I honor Pope Leo XIV’s prophetic courage—his willingness to name injustice and call for peace.
Challenge: Jealousy for sacred spaces and disregard for civilian life betray theological hypocrisy.
Call to Action: Peace requires more than dialogue—it requires moral accountability, protection of civilians, and dismantling of war systems.
Rev. JTSUNRISE asserts: • Peace without justice is temporary. Compassion without structural reform breeds cycles of violence. • Religious leaders must advocate not only for ceasefire, but for accountability, aid access, and reparations. • Silence from global civil society is complicity—justice demands engagement beyond prayer.
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⚖️ CONCLUSION: A SPIRITUAL CALL FOR PEACE
Pope Leo’s voice rises as a beacon in a global moral fog. But voices alone are insufficient. Faith communities, theological institutions, and intergovernmental bodies must accompany prayer with policy, advocacy, and sanctuary.
“Let us act on principles that honor the life of every person—Muslim, Christian, Jew, or none—especially in moments when walls fall and bombs fall with equal disregard.” — Rev. JTSUNRISE
Yes to peace. Yes to dialogue. Yes to end the barbarity. But let justice not lag behind mercy—and let faith speak truth to power with both compassion and confrontation.
— Rev. JTSUNRISE Celestial Nexus Church
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Bishop William Dusenberry, DD
The Roman Catholic’s “Barbarity” (AKA, the Spanish Inquisition) lasted from 1493, until the present time. In my ULC ministry, anyone opposed to the use of birth-control, is barbaric — because compelling any family to give birth — while millions all around them are impoverished and consequently starving — well even those now categorized as having been barbaric, were never had been done to have done that. The Pope is being barbaric, by continuing to deny the use of birth control to homeless, starving families— who, while they might be starving, are still trying to keep their mother church happy, by “being fruitful and multiplying.” The mere thought of denying the use of birth control, to sick, hungry, and often homeless “mothers to be” isn’t barbaric — because no known barbarian would force such, hungry, homeless females to give birth.
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Cam Kirmser
The question is: "When will it end."
Simple answer: "When palestinians stop launching terror attacks on Israel." The pope seem to have ignored the children who were beheaded by palestinians on 10/7.
As long as palestinians freely elect Hamas terrorists as leaders, Israel will need to defend itself.
Two state solution? OK. So, Arab nations, when are you going to give up space for this second state?
For my money, Israel needs to empty Gaza, raze it, and then send in settlers.
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Steven Ferrell
This Pope is defending hamas, who btw, also hate Christians and would gladly kill the pope if given the chance.
The situation in the Middle East is unconscionable. It is a genocide, and they, of ALL people, should understand the ramifications thereof. Shame on them, and shame on the rest of the world for standing by and allowing this to happen! May the gods have mercy on their souls!