Crux

On Friday, Catholics have been called to pray and fast for people suffering in wars, including those in Gaza in the Holy Land.

Pope Leo XIV said the Church would be “imploring the Lord to grant us peace and justice, and to dry the tears of those who suffer as a result of the ongoing armed conflicts” when he asked Aug. 22 to be a day of prayer during his Wednesday Audience.

On July 27, the pontiff said he was “following with deep concern the extremely grave humanitarian situation in Gaza, where the civilian population is being crushed by hunger and continues to be exposed to violence and death.”

The Gaza War broke out following an Oct. 7, 2023, surprise attack by Hamas militants that left 1,200 Israelis dead and more than 250 taken as hostages.

Israel immediately launched a retaliatory offensive in Gaza to oust Hamas from leadership, with the subsequent conflict resulting in the deaths of an estimated 70,000 people in Gaza, according to Palestinian estimates.

Last week, Leo told journalists the humanitarian crisis in Gaza must be resolved.

“We cannot go on like this. We know the violence of terrorism, and we honor the many who have died, as well as the hostages — they must be freed. But we must also think of the many who are dying of hunger,” the pope said.

The Vatican has condemned the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks on Israel since they took place, but has also warned against Israel taking disproportionate action against Palestinians in response to Hamas.

Pope Francis, in 2024, noted some experts said what is happening in Gaza “has the characteristics of a genocide,” and he called for an investigation to see if “it fits into the technical definition formulated by jurists and international bodies.”

After Francis died, the official Israeli account on X shared a photo of the pontiff at the Western Wall in Jerusalem, captioned: “May his memory be a blessing.”

The was quickly deleted by the Israeli government, and an official statement from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu came four days later: “The State of Israel expresses its deepest condolences to the Catholic Church and the Catholic community worldwide at the passing of Pope Francis. May he rest in peace.”

There was no explanation given for the removal of the first statement and the delayed official response from the Israeli government.

Shockat Adam, the Member of Parliament for Leicester South who was elected in 2024 as an Independent, has strongly supported the people of Gaza.

“Pope Francis, in my opinion, was one of very few religious leaders that showed moral clarity on this issue,” he told Crux.

“He didn’t dither; he spoke about potential genocide. He was very, very clear on what was happening and what was happening was wrong,” he said on Friday.

“His call to this particular church [Holy Family Catholic parish] and the Christian community in Gaza, although he was speaking to the Christian community it was being felt by the Muslim community. And there was almost the level that we wish we had somebody of that status that was doing the same,” Adam added.

Pope Leo has echoed Francis’s support for Gaza, especially after its only Catholic parish – Holy Family Church – was hit by a tank mortar on July 17, killing three people and injuring Father Gabriel Romanelli.

Israel said it was a “shooting error” and Netanyahu called Leo the next day.

“I find the Israeli Prime Minister’s willingness to speak directly with Pope Leo positive,” said Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican Secretary of State, in an interview with Italian television news program Tg2 Post.

The Holy See delegation to the United Nations called for a Two-State Solution in the Holy Land in a statement on July 30.

“[The Holy See] continues to uphold the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, including the right to self-determination. The Holy See supports their legitimate aspirations to live in freedom, security, and dignity within an independent and sovereign State,” said Archbishop Gabriele Caccia in New York.

Adam said the Holy See is a key ally in supporting Palestinians.

“The Vatican has been doing it, but other Christian denominations and even Muslim leaders haven’t been as vociferous and clear on this,” he told Crux.

“The Vatican has a role to play, have played a role, and should continue to do so,” he said.

Follow Charles Collins on X: @CharlesinRome