Pontiff urges peace in all places hit by armed conflicts
Pope Leo XIV on Wednesday renewed his call for peace in all places hit by armed conflicts, especially in Ukraine and the Middle East.
Addressing his weekly General Audience in the Paul VI Hall, the pontiff called for prayer and fasting on Aug. 22, Friday, for peace in all places torn by armed conflict.
"I ask you to include in your intentions the supplication for the gift of peace – a peace that is disarmed and disarming – for the whole world, especially for Ukraine and the Middle East," said the pope, reported Vatican News.
Previously, the pontiff appealed for peace in Ukraine and called for a ceasefire in Gaza.
Israel has continued its military operations in the Gaza Strip since October 2023, killing more than 62,000 people, devastating the enclave and creating food shortages that have led to deaths by starvation.
Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.
