VATICAN, May 11, 2025 (WAFA) — Pope Leo XIV called for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip on Sunday, expressing his deep sorrow over the humanitarian situation there.

This came in a speech he delivered during his first Sunday prayer from his office overlooking St. Peter's Square in the Vatican after his papacy last Thursday, succeeding Pope Francis, who died on April 21.

In his address after the prayer, the Pope delivered messages related to international developments, noting the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.

He added, "This war has cost 60 million lives. As the late Pope Francis repeatedly stated, we are today facing the dramatic spectacle of a Third World War being fought piecemeal."

The Pope addressed world leaders, saying, "I appeal to the world's great powers, and I repeat the appeal that remains unwavering: never again war."

The Pope also touched on the situation in Gaza, saying that he was deeply pained by what was happening in the Gaza Strip.

He called for "an immediate ceasefire and the provision of humanitarian aid to exhausted civilians..."

K.T