Pope renews call for Gaza ceasefire, urges respect for human dignity

Pope Leo XIV on Wednesday renewed his call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, stressing the need to uphold the "inviolable dignity" of every person and full respect for international humanitarian law.

At the conclusion of his weekly General Audience, according to a Vatican News report, the pope expressed his "deepest" sympathy for the Palestinian people, lamenting that they "continue to live in fear and survive in unacceptable conditions, forced—once again—from their lands."

His remarks came a day after Israeli forces launched a new offensive against Gaza City, the largest urban center in the enclave, prompting mass displacement.

Pope Leo insisted that "every person always has an inviolable dignity, to be respected and protected."

He reiterated his appeal for a ceasefire, the release of hostages, and a diplomatic resolution to the conflict, inviting "everyone" to join in prayer that "a dawn of peace and justice may soon rise."

The Israeli army has killed almost 65,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children, in Gaza since October 2023. The relentless bombardment has rendered the enclave uninhabitable and led to starvation and the spread of diseases.