Pope Leo XIV has condemned the “barbarity” of the Gaza war and called out “collective punishment” as officials said dozens more Palestinians were killed queuing for aid on Sunday.
The pontiff renewed his call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, asking the international community to respect international laws and the obligation to protect civilians.
It came as Gazan officials said 73 refugees were killed after witnesses claimed Israeli soldiers and tanks fired on crowds queuing for food in northern Gaza.
“I once again call for an immediate end to the barbarity of this war and for a peaceful resolution to the conflict,” Pope Leo XIV said.
“I appeal to the international community to observe humanitarian law, as well as the prohibition of collective punishment, the indiscriminate use of force, and the forced displacement of populations.”
Around 67 of those killed were gunned down trying to reach aid entering through the Zikim crossing with Israel, according to the health ministry and local hospitals.
“Tanks surrounded us and trapped us as gunshots and strikes rained down. We were trapped for two hours,” said Ehab Al-Zei, who had been waiting for flour. “I will never go back again. Let us die of hunger, it’s better.”
Israel’s military said soldiers had shot at a gathering of thousands of Palestinians in northern Gaza who posed a threat, and it was aware of some casualties.
On Saturday, witnesses said at least 32 Palestinians were killed by Israeli troops while queuing for food distributed by the controversial Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF).
The shootings occurred near hubs operated by the US and Israeli-backed GHF, which launched operations in May this year.
The US and Israel seek to replace the traditional UN-led aid distribution system in Gaza, asserting that Hamas militants siphon off supplies. The UN denies the allegation.
While the GHF says it has distributed millions of meals to hungry Palestinians, local health officials and witnesses say Israeli army fire has killed hundreds of people as they try to reach the hubs since May.
The organisation’s four sites are in military-controlled zones. Israel’s army secures them from a distance, but does not operate them.
Pope Leo also expressed his “deep sorrow” for the Israeli attack on the only Catholic church in the Gaza Strip on Thursday, which killed three people and wounded 10 others, including the parish priest.
The shelling of the Holy Family Catholic Church in Gaza also damaged the church compound, where hundreds of Palestinians have been sheltering from the Israel-Hamas war, now in its 21st month.
Israel expressed regret over what it described as an accident and said it was investigating. “We need to dialogue and abandon weapons,” the pope said earlier on Sunday, after presiding over Mass at the nearby Cathedral of Albano.
Gaza’s population of more than two million Palestinians are in a catastrophic humanitarian crisis, now relying largely on the limited aid allowed into the territory.
Many people have been displaced multiple times. Hamas triggered the war when militants stormed into southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing around 1,200 people and taking 251 others hostage.
Fifty remain in Gaza, but fewer than half are thought to be alive. Israel’s military offensive has killed more than 58,800 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s health ministry.
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