Pope urges ceasefire, calls for peace through dialogue

Pope Leo on Tuesday renewed his call for a ceasefire and urged authorities to pursue peace through dialogue, warning of rising hatred, violence, and deaths, Vatican News reported.

"I wish to renew the appeal for a ceasefire, to work for peace, but not with weapons -- with dialogue," he told journalists in Castel Gandolfo, Italy.

The pontiff warned that "hatred is increasing" and violence is worsening, adding that more than a million people are isolated and many have died.

"We want to pray for peace, but I urge all authorities to truly work through dialogue to resolve problems," he said.

In a separate Angelus address on Sunday, the pope expressed "dismay" at the situation in the Middle East and other regions affected by war and violence.

"We cannot remain silent in the face of the suffering of so many defenseless people who are victims of these conflicts," he said.

He decried the suffering caused by wars, calling it "a scandal for the entire human family."

The pontiff also called for continued prayer so that hostilities may cease and paths to peace may open through sincere dialogue and respect for human dignity.

The region has been shaken since the US and Israel launched a joint offensive on Iran on Feb. 28, so far killing over 1,300 people, including then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

Iran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, along with Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf countries hosting US military assets, causing casualties and damage to infrastructure while disrupting global markets and aviation.