Vincenzo Livieri/Reuters

The ceasefire in Gaza agreed upon by Israel and Hamas has “given a spark of hope in the Holy Land,” Pope Leo XIV said today, speaking after a mass in St Peter’s Square.

Since his papacy began in May, the American pontiff has been robust in his criticism of Israel’s war in Gaza, consistently voicing his concern for Palestinian civilians that faced Israeli bombardment.

Today, Leo said that he encourages those involved in the conflict to “courageously continue on the path towards a just and lasting peace that respects the legitimate aspirations of the Israeli and Palestinian people.”

“Two years of conflict have left death and rubble everywhere, especially in the hearts of those who have brutally lost their children, parents, friends, everything,” he said.

The pontiff also called for those in the region to “rediscover that the other is not an enemy, but a brother to look at, forgive, (and) offer the hope of reconciliation.”