Pope Leo condemns Gaza church strike, urges end to war barbarity
The attack on Thursday left the church's roof damaged near the main cross, with the stone facade scorched and windows shattered.
Speaking after his Angelus prayer, the Pope named the victims and condemned the violence. '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.
The strike has drawn global attention, raising concerns over the protection of religious sites and civilians in conflict zones.
Pope Leo's remarks underscore the Vatican's stance against indiscriminate warfare and its call for peace. - Reuters
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New Straits Times
4 hours ago
- New Straits Times
73 Gazans killed by Israeli fire while seeking food
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The Star
4 hours ago
- The Star
Israeli fire kills 67 aid seekers in Gaza, medics say, as hunger worsens
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Israel's military said it had not entered the districts subject to the evacuation order during the current conflict and that it was continuing "to operate with great force to destroy the enemy's capabilities and terrorist infrastructure in the area". Israeli sources have said the reason the army has so far stayed out is because they suspect Hamas might be holding hostages there. At least 20 of the remaining 50 hostages in captivity in Gaza are believed to still be alive. Hostage families demanded an explanation from the army. "Can anyone (promise) to us that this decision will not come at the cost of losing our loved ones?" the families said in a statement. ACCELERATING STARVATION Much of Gaza has been reduced to a wasteland during more than 21 months of war and there are fears of accelerating starvation. 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Israel's military said that it "views the transfer of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip as a matter of utmost importance, and works to enable and facilitate its entry in coordination with the international community". TRUCE TALKS Some Palestinians suggested the move on Deir al-Balah might be an attempt to put pressure on Hamas to make more concessions in long-running ceasefire negotiations. Israel and Hamas are engaged in indirect talks in Doha aimed at reaching a 60-day truce and hostage deal, although there has been no sign of breakthrough. The war began when Hamas-led militants stormed into Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages back to Gaza. The Israeli military campaign against Hamas in Gaza has since killed more than 58,000 Palestinians, according to health officials, displaced almost the entire population and plunged the enclave into a humanitarian crisis. (Reporting by Nidal al-Mughrabi and Crispian Balmer Additional reporting by Michelle Nichols in New York and Keith Weir; Editing by Crispian Balmer, Aidan Lewis and Helen Popper) - Reuters
The Star
4 hours ago
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