Pope Leo expressed on Sunday the solidarity of the Catholic Church with the Palestinian population of the “martyred land” of Gaza, stating after the Sunday Angelus prayer at St. Peter’s Square that “there is no future based on violence, forced exile or revenge.”
Addressing representatives of Catholic associations gathered at St. Peter’s Square behind a banner “Peace for Gaza,” Leo praised the “initiatives throughout the Church that express solidarity with brothers and sisters who suffer in this martyred land,” Gaza.
“I repeat: there is no future based on violence, forced exile or revenge,” emphasized the Pope, declaring himself against the forced displacement of civilians in Gaza. “People need peace,” he added, accompanied by the applause of the faithful.
Israel has intensified its military demolition campaign in the capital of the Palestinian enclave. On Tuesday, it launched a major offensive on Gaza City, with the stated goal of destroying the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas, whose attack in Israel on October 7th, 2023, triggered the war in the Gaza Strip.
This deadly offensive, condemned by the international community, caused hundreds of thousands of residents to flee to the south of the territory, which has already been completely devastated by the nearly two-year war.
