VATICAN CITY: Pope Leo discussed the “tragic situation in Gaza” during a meeting on Thursday with Israeli President Isaac Herzog and called for a permanent ceasefire in the Palestinian enclave, the Vatican said.
The pontiff also called for the release of the remaining hostages held by the Palestinian militant group Hamas, the statement said, and reiterated the Vatican’s support for a two-state solution to the decades-long Israel-Palestinian conflict.
“A prompt resumption of negotiations was hoped for ... to secure the release of all hostages, urgently achieve a permanent ceasefire, facilitate the safe entry of humanitarian aid into the most affected areas, and ensure full respect for humanitarian law,” said the statement.
Herzog had earlier thanked Leo for the meeting on Thursday in a post on X, and said he had received a “warm welcome” at the Vatican.
“Religious leaders and all who choose the path of peace must stand together in calling for the immediate release of the hostages as a first and essential step toward a better future for the entire region,” said the president.
The Vatican did not immediately release further details about the meeting and did not say how long Leo and Herzog had spent together.
The Vatican released photos of the leaders greeting each other in the Vatican’s apostolic palace. In one image, the two stand posing side-by-side, neither smiling.
Leo, elected by the world’s cardinals in May to replace the late Pope Francis, has in the past taken a more cautious tone than Francis when speaking about Israel’s military campaign in Gaza.
Francis, who had led the Church for 12 years, had become a frequent critic of Israel. He suggested a study into whether Israel was committing genocide against the Palestinian people, which sparked sharp criticism from Israeli officials.
Leo has recently stepped up his calls for a halt to the war in Gaza. Last week, he issued what he called a “strong appeal” for an end during his weekly public audience.
Thursday’s release from the Vatican was notably longer than usual for statements about the pope’s meeting with foreign leaders, which typically only offer only a few lines of information and do not give specific details about the topics discussed by the pope.
Pope Leo raises ‘tragic situation in Gaza’ in meeting with Israeli president
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Pope Leo raises ‘tragic situation in Gaza’ in meeting with Israeli president
- The pontiff also called for the release of the remaining hostages held by Hamas, the statement said
- Leo has in the past taken a more cautious tone than Francis when speaking about Israel’s military campaign in Gaza
Syrian refugee returns set to slow as donor support fades
- Some aid officials say Syria is one of the first crises to be hit by aid funding cuts because the end of the war means it no longer counts as an emergency, eligible for priority funding
GENEVA: More than 3 million Syrians have returned home since the collapse of Bashar Assad’s rule a year ago but a decline in global funding could deter others, the UN refugee agency said on Monday.
Some 1.2 million refugees in addition to 1.9 million internally displaced people have gone back home following the civil war that ended with Assad’s overthrow, but millions more are yet to return, according to UNHCR.
The agency said much more support was needed to ensure the trend continues.
“Syrians are ready to rebuild – the question is whether the world is ready to help them do it,” said UNHCR head Filippo Grandi. Over 5 million refugees remain outside Syria’s borders, mostly in neighboring countries like Jordan and Lebanon.
RISK OF REVERSALS
Grandi told donors in Geneva last week that there was a risk that those Syrians who are returning might even reverse their course and come back to host states.
“Returns continue in fairly large numbers but unless we step up broader efforts, the risk of (reversals) is very real,” he said.
Overall, Syria’s $3.19 billion humanitarian response is 29 percent funded this year, according to UN data, at a time when donors like the United States and others are making major cuts to foreign aid across the board.
The World Health Organization sees a gap emerging as aid money drops off before national systems can take over.
As of last month, only 58 percent of hospitals were fully functional and some are suffering power outages, affecting cold-chain storage for vaccines.
“Returnees are coming back to areas where medicines, staff and infrastructure are limited – adding pressure to already thin services,” Christina Bethke, Acting WHO Representative in Syria, told reporters.
The slow pace of removing unexploded ordnance is also a major obstacle to recovery, said the aid group Humanity & Inclusion, which reported over 1,500 deaths and injuries in the last year. Such efforts are just 13 percent funded, it said.
Some aid officials say Syria is one of the first crises to be hit by aid funding cuts because the end of the war means it no longer counts as an emergency, eligible for priority funding.
Others may have held back as they wait to see if authorities under President Ahmed Al-Sharaa make good on promises of reform and accountability, including for massacres of the Alawite minority in March, they say.
