Pope Leo XIV has denounced the ongoing war in Gaza as an act of “barbarity”, condemning the “indiscriminate use of force” amid mounting civilian casualties and worsening humanitarian conditions.
The pontiff’s comments followed reports from Gaza’s civil defence agency that at least 93 Palestinians were killed on Sunday while queuing for food aid, mostly in northern parts of the besieged enclave. According to the agency, 80 of the victims were shot dead by Israeli forces as they waited for UN food trucks arriving through the northern Zikim crossing.
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) confirmed that a 25-truck convoy delivering food to Gaza was met by “massive crowds of hungry civilians”, who subsequently came under gunfire. “WFP reiterates that any violence involving civilians seeking humanitarian aid is completely unacceptable,” the organisation stated.
Dr Mohammed Abu Salmiya, director of Gaza’s al-Shifa hospital, told the Associated Press that since Sunday morning, the hospital had received 48 dead and 150 wounded people who had been seeking aid from expected lorries at the Zikim crossing. He said it remained unclear whether Israeli troops, armed groups, or both were responsible for the casualties.
In response, the Israeli military acknowledged opening fire on a gathering of thousands in northern Gaza, claiming the crowd posed a threat. However, officials disputed the casualty figures reported by Gazan authorities, stating they were “far higher” than its initial assessment. The military has not yet commented on reports of violence in southern or central Gaza.
Tensions escalated further as Israel issued new evacuation orders for central Gaza, an area where ground operations had previously been limited, and where many international humanitarian groups are operating. In Deir al-Balah, Israeli airstrikes struck three homes, prompting dozens of families to flee with only a few possessions, according to witnesses interviewed by Reuters.
Prior to these reports, Pope Leo XIV, speaking from Castel Gandolfo during the Angelus prayer, called for “an immediate end to the barbarity of the war and for a peaceful resolution to the conflict”. He also expressed sorrow over last week’s Israeli strike on Gaza’s only Catholic church, which killed three and injured ten, including the parish priest, a close friend of the late Pope Francis.
“This act, unfortunately, adds to the ongoing military attacks against the civilian population and places of worship in Gaza,” the pope said. “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, the indiscriminate use of force, and the forced displacement of populations.”
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (Unrwa) also intensified its warnings on Sunday, accusing Israel of “starving civilians in Gaza”, including more than 1 million children. Unrwa said it had enough food stockpiled in warehouses in Arish, Egypt, to feed the entire population of Gaza for over three months. “Open the gates, lift the siege, allow Unrwa to do its work,” the agency said in a social media post, sharing images of the blocked supplies.
Unrwa has faced an Israeli ban on operations in both Gaza and the West Bank, with Israel accusing the agency of infiltration by Hamas operatives. However, an independent review panel found Tel Aviv had failed to provide evidence supporting those claims. Before the ban, Unrwa served as the main provider of humanitarian aid, education, and healthcare for millions of Palestinians.
Last week, the agency reported that babies were dying from “severe acute malnutrition”, further underscoring the catastrophic impact of restricted aid access.
As the conflict continues to rage, with no end in sight, international pressure is mounting on Israel to ease restrictions and on all parties to pursue a ceasefire to avert further loss of life.
