At the Sunday Angelus, Pope Leo thanks Catholic associations committed to solidarity with the people of the Gaza Strip, and renews his heartfelt plea for peace.
By Christopher Wells
Associating himself with those committed to assisting the people of Gaza, and with the Pastors who lead the Churches throughout the Holy Land, Pope Leo repeated once again, “There is no future based on violence, forced exile, or vengeance!”
“Peoples need peace,” he proclaimed, adding that “those who truly love them work for peace.”
The Holy Father made his remarks immediately following the Angelus on Sunday, offering his first greetings to representatives of “various Catholic associations committed to solidarity with the people of the Gaza Strip.”
“Dear friends,” he said, “I appreciate your initiative and the many others throughout the Church that express closeness to our brothers and sisters suffering in that tormented land.”
Pope Leo at the Sunday Angelus, 21 September 2025 (@VATICAN MEDIA)
Israeli assault on Gaza City continues
At least 60 Palestinians were killed in Gaza on Saturday, according to Gazan health authorities, amid an ongoing Israeli assault on Gaza City and throughout the enclave. Israeli forces have been destroying high-rise buildings in Gaza City, and working to dismantle underground shafts and booby-trapped structures in their latest offensive, which began last week.
The Reuters news agency reports that Israeli forces control the city’s eastern suburbs, hoping to use further territorial gains to advance on the central and western parts of the city.
The Israeli government claims almost half a million people have left Gaza City since the beginning of the month. However, Hamas, which controls Gaza disputes those figures, saying only 300,000 people have fled, while more than 900,000 remain, including a small number of Israeli hostages – less than 50 – still being held by Hamas or other Palestinian groups.
More than 65,000 Palestinians have been killed since Israel launched its invasion of Gaza two years ago, following an attack on southern Israel by Hamas that left some 1200 people, mostly civilians, dead, and saw approximately 250 civilians and soldiers taken hostage.
Dignity of every person must be respected and protected
Pope Leo has been consistent in his calls for peace. At last week’s Angelus, the Holy Father expressed his “deepest sympathy to the Palestinian people in Gaza, who continue to live in fear and to survive in unacceptable conditions, forced – once again – from their lands.”
Invoking “the Almighty Lord, who commanded ‘Thou shalt not kill’” and calling “all humanity” to bear witness, Pope Leo declared, “Every human person has an inviolable dignity which must be respected and protected.”
He went on to renew his calls for “a ceasefire, the release of hostages, a negotiated diplomatic solution, and full respected international humanitarian law,” before inviting everyone to join him in his prayers “that a dawn of peace and justice may soon arise.”
