Vatican Calls for Immediate Halt to Gaza Bombings and Peace Talks on Ukraine

Vatican City: What is happening in Gaza is unacceptable and the Israeli bombing must stop, Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin said Tuesday. “What is happening in Gaza is unacceptable. International humanitarian law must always apply, and for everyone,” he said in an interview with Vatican media. “We ask that the bombings stop and that the necessary aid arrive for the population: I believe that the international community must do everything possible to put an end to this tragedy.”

According to Ansa News Agency, Parolin also emphasized the need for Hamas to release all hostages and return the bodies of those killed after the attack on October 7, 2023, against Israel. He reiterated, “At the same time, we strongly reiterate our request to Hamas to immediately release all the hostages it is still holding prisoners, and to return the bodies of those who were killed.”

Furthermore, Parolin urged for immediate peace talks concerning the situation in Ukraine. He stated, “It is not important where the negotiations between Russians and Ukrainians that we all hope for will be held,” following Moscow’s rejection of the Vatican as a venue. “What really matters is that these negotiations can finally begin, because it is urgent to stop the war.”

He highlighted the urgency of achieving a truce to prevent further devastation and loss of civilian lives. “First of all, a truce is urgent, to put an end to the devastation, the destroyed cities, the civilians who are losing their lives,” Parolin noted. He concluded by stressing the importance of reaching a “stable, just and lasting peace, therefore accepted and agreed upon by both parties.”