Despite the apparent escalation of the war in Gaza, Pope Leo XIV has urged faithful Catholics to pray and fast for peace on Friday 22 August.
On Thursday Israel initiated what is believed to be the first day of an intensified ground campaign to take control of Gaza City. The Israeli government has said it intends to take control of the entire Gaza Strip by force.
Approximately 60,000 reservists are expected to be called up by the IDF in order to make more active-duty soldiers available for the campaign.
The Pope, as part of his weekly General Audience, asked believers to pray that God "grant us peace and justice, and to wipe away the tears of those who suffer because of ongoing armed conflicts”.
The current conflict in Gaza began in October 2023 when Hamas militants launched an attack of unprecedented scale against Israel. Nearly 1,200 people, mostly civilians, were killed and 251 were taken as hostages.
In response Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that Israel would destroy Hamas to prevent future attacks and do all it could to bring the hostages home.
So far 140 of the hostages have been released as part of ceasefire deals and eight were rescued by Israeli forces. Seventy-five of the hostages have died, in some cases as a result of Israeli military activity. There are still around 50 hostages being held by Hamas, of whom just under half are believed by Israel to be still alive.
This week the Pope also urged visiting Polish pilgrims to pray for peace in Gaza and in Ukraine: “I ask you to include in your intentions the supplication for the gift of peace – a peace that is disarmed and disarming – for the whole world, especially for Ukraine and the Middle East."
The previous pope, Francis I, is known to have had special concern for Catholics in Gaza, calling the region’s only Catholic church, Holy Family Church, nearly every day during his final months.
