Headlines
Pope Leo says Israeli strikes on Qatar create 'very serious' situation
Published by Global Banking and Finance Review
Posted on September 9, 2025
Global Banking and Finance Review
Company
Global Banking and Finance Review is an online platform offering news, analysis, and opinion on the latest trends, developments, and innovations in the banking and finance industry worldwide. The platform covers a diverse range of topics, including banking, insurance, investment, wealth management, fintech, and regulatory issues. The website publishes news, press releases, opinion and advertorials on various financial organizations, products and services which are commissioned from various Companies, Organizations, PR agencies, Bloggers etc. These commissioned articles are commercial in nature. This is not to be considered as financial advice and should be considered only for information purposes. It does not reflect the views or opinion of our website and is not to be considered an endorsement or a recommendation. We cannot guarantee the accuracy or applicability of any information provided with respect to your individual or personal circumstances. Please seek Professional advice from a qualified professional before making any financial decisions. We link to various third-party websites, affiliate sales networks, and to our advertising partners websites. When you view or click on certain links available on our articles, our partners may compensate us for displaying the content to you or make a purchase or fill a form. This will not incur any additional charges to you. To make things simpler for you to identity or distinguish advertised or sponsored articles or links, you may consider all articles or links hosted on our site as a commercial article placement. We will not be responsible for any loss you may suffer as a result of any omission or inaccuracy on the website.
Published by Global Banking and Finance Review
Posted on September 9, 2025
VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Pope Leo, who typically refrains from speaking off the cuff, expressed unusually forceful concern on Tuesday about the consequences of Israel's strike in Qatar.
"There's some really serious news right now: Israel's attack on some Hamas leaders in Qatar," the pontiff told journalists outside his summer residence in Castel Gandolfo.
"The entire situation is very serious," Leo said. "We do not know how things will go. It is really serious."
Leo, the first U.S. pope, has tended to take a diplomatic approach that is more muted than his predecessor, Pope Francis. Leo usually sticks to the Vatican's careful diplomatic language, but has been ramping up criticism of Israel's military campaign in Gaza.
The pope met with Israeli President Isaac Herzog at the Vatican last week, after which the Vatican said Leo had lamented the "tragic situation in Gaza" with Herzog.
Leo spoke on Tuesday after news that Israel had launched a strike in Doha, which it said was aimed at top Hamas leaders including Khalil al-Hayya, its exiled Gaza chief and top negotiator.
"We must continue working and insisting on peace," the pope told the journalists, who also asked for comments about the situation in Gaza.
Leo also said that he had tried to call the pastor of Gaza's sole Catholic Church, Rev. Gabriel Romanelli, who spoke frequently with Francis.
The Vatican had not previously said whether Leo has spoken personally with Romanelli. The pastor did not respond to a Reuters inquiry earlier this week.
Leo spent the day on Tuesday in Castel Gandolfo, about an hour's drive south of Rome, and was headed back to the Vatican in late afternoon.
(Reporting by Joshua McElwee and Alvise Armellini, editing by Gianluca Semeraro and Keith Weir)