THE VATICAN, October 7, 2025 (WAFA) - The Holy See Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin said that the situation in Gaza is even more serious and tragic than it was a year ago, following a devastating war that has claimed tens of thousands of lives.
He added, in an interview with Vatican media marking two years since Israel’s genocidal war on the Gaza Strip: “We need to recover a sense of reason, abandon the blind logic of hatred and revenge, and reject violence as a solution. Those who are attacked have a right to defend themselves, but even legitimate defense must respect the principle of proportionality. Unfortunately, the resulting war has brought about disastrous and inhuman consequences… I am struck and deeply afflicted by the daily death toll in Palestine—dozens, sometimes hundreds, every day—so many children whose only fault seems to be having been born there.”
He continued: “We risk becoming desensitized to this carnage! People killed while trying to find a piece of bread, buried under the rubble of their homes, bombed in hospitals, in tent camps, displaced and forced to move from one end of that narrow, overcrowded territory to another… It is unacceptable and unjustifiable to reduce human beings to mere “collateral damage.”
The Cardinal further stated: “It seems evident that the war waged by the Israeli army…disregards the fact that it is targeting a largely defenseless population, already pushed to the brink, in an area where buildings and homes are reduced to rubble. A simple look at aerial images is enough to understand what Gaza looks like today. It is equally clear that the international community is, unfortunately, powerless and that the countries truly capable of exerting influence have so far failed to act to stop the ongoing massacre.”
He added, “It’s not enough to say that what is happening is unacceptable and then continue to allow it to happen. We must seriously ask ourselves about the legitimacy, for example, of continuing to supply weapons that are being used against civilians. Sadly, as we have seen, the United Nations has not been able to stop what is happening. But there are international actors that could, and should, do more to end this tragedy, and we must find a way to give the United Nations a more effective role in ending the many fratricidal wars ongoing around the world.”
Commenting on the plan proposed by US President Donald Trump to reach a ceasefire and end the war, he said: “Any plan that includes the Palestinian people in decisions about their own future, and helps put an end to this slaughter—releasing hostages and halting the daily killing of hundreds of people—is to be welcomed and supported. The Holy Father too has expressed the hope that the parties will accept the plan and that a genuine peace process can finally begin.”
Regarding the recent recognition of the State of Palestine by several countries, Cardinal Parolin said: “The Holy See officially recognized the State of Palestine ten years ago, with the Global Agreement between the Holy See and the State of Palestine. The Preamble to that international agreement fully supports a just, comprehensive, and peaceful resolution of the Palestinian issue in all its aspects, in accordance with international law and all relevant UN resolutions. At the same time, it supports a Palestinian State that is independent, sovereign, democratic, and viable, encompassing the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza. That agreement envisions this State not as opposed to others, but capable of living side by side with its neighbors in peace and security.”
The Holy See Secretary of State also pointed to the violent settler expansionism that seeks to make the establishment of a Palestinian State impossible.
T.R.
