Pope Leo XIV speaks as he appears to lead the weekly Angelus prayer, at the Vatican, September 21, 2025. Vatican Media/Mario Tomassetti/Handout via REUTERS Purchase Licensing Rights , opens new tab

VATICAN CITY, Oct 5 (Reuters) – Pope Leo hopes that a plan to end the war in Gaza would soon reach the “desired results”, he said on Sunday after acknowledging the significant steps made in negotiations to end the conflict between Israel and Hamas.

Speaking during his weekly Angelus prayer, the pontiff asked all relevant parties to commit to the peace process, emphasising the urgent need to end the conflict and establish a “just and lasting peace”.

“In recent hours, amid the dramatic situation in the Middle East, some significant steps forward have been taken in the peace negotiations, which I hope will soon achieve the desired results,” the pope told faithful gathered in St. Peter’s Square.

He also renewed calls for a permanent ceasefire in the nearly two-year conflict and the release of hostages held in Gaza.

Pope Leo, the first U.S. pope, was elected by the world’s cardinals in May to replace the late Pope Francis and has been more cautious about speaking out against the Gaza conflict than his predecessor.

His role in advocating for peace in Gaza, however, has become more stark since Israel struck the territory’s only Catholic church in July.

On Tuesday the pontiff praised U.S. President Donald Trump’s 20-point plan for Gaza and expressed hope that the Palestinian militant group Hamas would endorse it.

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. , opens new tab

Suggested Topics:

Read Next

ago Middle East category

ago Middle East category

ago Middle East category

ago Middle East category

ago Middle East category

ago Middle East category

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said on Sunday she would in the coming weeks present advances in made-in-Mexico projects developing electrical vehicles, semiconductors, satellites and drones, as part of a program to boost local production.

Site Index

About Reuters

Stay Informed

Information you can trust

Reuters, the news and media division of Thomson Reuters, is the world’s largest multimedia news provider, reaching billions of people worldwide every day. Reuters provides business, financial, national and international news to professionals via desktop terminals, the world’s media organizations, industry events and directly to consumers.

Read More