Pope Leo called for an end to the “barbarity of war” on Sunday, as he spoke of his profound pain over an Israeli strike on the sole Catholic church in Gaza.
Three people died and several were injured, including the parish priest, in the Israeli strike on the Holy Family Church in Gaza City on Thursday.
Photos show the church’s roof struck near the main cross, its stone facade scorched and its windows shattered.
Speaking after his Angelus prayer, the pope read out the names of those killed in the incident.
“I appeal to the international community to observe humanitarian law and respect the obligation to protect civilians as well as the prohibition of collective punishment, of indiscriminate use of force and forced displacement of the population,” he said.
Earlier this week, Pope Leo was criticised for making a “vague” statement about the attack and failing to mention Israel.
At least 58,895 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since October 2023, while virtually the entire population has been displaced.
