Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on October 6, 2025
2 min readLast updated: January 21, 2026
Add as preferred source on GoogleVatican's top cardinal condemns Israel's actions in Gaza as a massacre, urging international intervention and highlighting humanitarian concerns.
By Joshua McElwee
VATICAN CITY (Reuters) -The Vatican's top diplomat sharply criticised Israel's "ongoing massacre" in Gaza in comments published on Monday - one of the Catholic Church's strongest condemnations of Israel's war against the militant group Hamas.
In an interview tied to the second anniversary of Hamas' attack on Israeli communities on October 7, 2023, Cardinal Pietro Parolin also called those attacks "inhuman and indefensible" and urged Hamas to free remaining hostages.
"Those who are attacked have a right to defend themselves, but even legitimate defence must respect the principle of proportionality," said Parolin, the Vatican secretary of state and one of Pope Leo's top deputies.
"The war waged by the Israeli army to eliminate Hamas militants disregards the fact that it is targeting a largely defenceless population, already pushed to the brink, in an area where buildings and homes are reduced to rubble," he said.
"It is ... clear that the international community is, unfortunately, powerless and that the countries truly capable of exerting influence have so far failed to act to stop the ongoing massacre," Parolin told the Vatican's media outlet.
The Vatican, which has embassies in many capitals, normally uses guarded language in addressing conflicts, preferring to avoid press coverage and operate behind the scenes.
But Leo, elected in May after the death of Pope Francis, has been stepping up criticism of Israel's campaign in Gaza.
He has urged Israel to let in more aid and raised Gaza in a meeting with Israeli President Isaac Herzog in September.
Parolin added: "It's not enough to say that what is happening is unacceptable and then continue to allow it to happen.
"We must seriously ask ourselves about the legitimacy ... of continuing to supply weapons that are being used against civilians." He did not name any countries.
Israel attacked Gaza after the Hamas-led attack in 2023 in which some 1,200 people were killed and 251 taken hostage, according to Israeli tallies.
Israel's campaign has killed more than 67,000 in Gaza, mostly civilians, according to Gaza health authorities.
(Reporting by Joshua McElwee; Editing by Kevin Liffey)
Humanitarian aid refers to assistance provided to people in need, especially during crises such as conflicts or natural disasters, aimed at saving lives, alleviating suffering, and maintaining human dignity.
The international community consists of countries and organizations that work together to address global issues, promote peace, and provide humanitarian assistance during crises.
A humanitarian crisis is a significant disruption of the social, economic, and environmental fabric of a community, often resulting from conflict, natural disasters, or other emergencies that require urgent assistance.
Explore more articles in the Headlines category
