Pope Leo on Israel's blockade of Gaza: Hunger must not be used as weapon of war

"Hunger must not be used as a weapon of war," said Pope Leo on Tuesday, referring to Israel's brutal and inhumane blockade of vital humanitarian aid, food, and medicines in the Gaza Strip since March 2.

"We are now witnessing, with deep sorrow, the inhumane use of hunger as a weapon of war," said the pontiff in a letter he sent to the 44th session of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in Rome, according to the Vatican News.

"Starving civilian populations is a very cheap way to wage war," Leo added.

Underlining that pointing out that tactics like burning crops and blocking humanitarian aid weigh heavily on defenseless civilians are common in current conflicts, the pope urged the international community to take action and set clear boundaries so that perpetrators are held accountable.

"Political crises, armed conflicts, and economic disruptions play a central role in worsening the food crisis. They hinder humanitarian aid, undermine local agricultural production, and deprive people not only of access to food, but also of the right to live a life of dignity and opportunity," he said.

Pope also warned that financial resources and innovative technologies are being diverted to arms production and weapons trade.

"As a result, questionable ideologies are being promoted, while human relationships grow cold, corroding communion and driving away fraternity and social friendship," he said.