Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on July 20, 2025
1 min readLast updated: January 22, 2026
Add as preferred source on GooglePope Leo calls for peace after a strike on Gaza's Catholic church, urging adherence to humanitarian law and protection of civilians.
CASTEL GANDOLFO, Italy (Reuters) -Pope Leo called for an end to the 'barbarity of war' on Sunday as he spoke of his profound pain over an Israeli strike on the sole Catholic church in Gaza.
Three people died and several were injured, including the parish priest, in the strike on the Holy Family Church compound in Gaza City on Thursday. Photos show its roof has been hit close to the main cross, scorching the stone facade, and shattering windows.
Speaking after his Angelus prayer, Leo read out the names of those killed in the incident.
"I appeal to the international community to observe humanitarian law and respect the obligation to protect civilians as well as the prohibition of collective punishment, of indiscriminate use of force and forced displacement of the population," he said.
(Writing by Keith Weir; Editing by Toby Chopra)
Humanitarian aid refers to assistance provided to people in need, often during crises such as wars or natural disasters, aimed at saving lives and alleviating suffering.
The international community refers to countries and organizations around the world that work together to address global issues, including peace, security, and humanitarian efforts.
A financial crisis is a situation where financial assets suddenly lose a large part of their nominal value, often leading to economic instability and widespread financial distress.
Collective punishment is a punitive measure imposed on a group of people for the actions of a few, often violating principles of justice and human rights.
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