Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of the Vatican, said, “The situation in Gaza today is more dangerous and tragic than it was a year ago, after a devastating war that claimed tens of thousands of lives.”

He added in an interview with Vatican media on the second anniversary of the Israeli genocide war in Gaza: “We must regain the voice of reason, abandon the logic of hatred and blind revenge, and reject violence as a solution. Those under attack have the right to defend themselves, but even legitimate defense must respect the principle of proportionality. Unfortunately, the war has led to catastrophic and inhumane results… I am deeply pained by the daily death toll in Palestine – dozens, sometimes hundreds, every day – many children who have committed no crime other than being born there.”

He continued: “We risk becoming indifferent to this massacre! People are killed while searching for a piece of bread, buried under the rubble of their homes, bombed in hospitals, in displacement camps, or forcibly transferred from one part of the Strip to another… It is unacceptable and unjustifiable to reduce humans to mere ‘collateral damage.'”

Cardinal Parolin noted that “the war waged by the Israeli army… ignores the fact that it mostly targets unarmed civilians living on the brink of collapse, in an area whose buildings and homes have turned to rubble. A simple look at aerial images suffices to understand what Gaza looks like today. It is also clear that the international community, unfortunately, is powerless, and the countries truly capable of influencing have not yet moved to stop the ongoing massacre.”

He added: “It is not enough to say what is happening is unacceptable and then allow it to continue. We must seriously question the legitimacy of continuing to supply parties with weapons used against civilians. Unfortunately, as we have seen, the United Nations has been unable to stop what is happening. But there are international actors who can and must do more to end this tragedy, and we must find a way to give the UN a more effective role in ending the bloody wars spreading worldwide.”

Regarding US President Donald Trump’s efforts to end the war, Cardinal Parolin said, “Any plan that involves the Palestinian people in determining their fate and contributes to ending this massacre—through the release of hostages and stopping the daily killing of hundreds—is a welcomed plan and must be supported. The Pope also expressed hope that the parties accept this plan and that a genuine peace process finally begins.”

On 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 through “the comprehensive agreement between the Holy See and the State of Palestine.” The preamble of this international agreement confirms its support for a just, comprehensive, and peaceful solution to the Palestinian issue in all its aspects, according to international law and all relevant UN resolutions. It also supports the establishment of an independent, sovereign, democratic, and viable Palestinian state, including the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza Strip. This state—as the agreement states—should not be hostile to others but capable of living side by side in peace and security with its neighbors.

He added: “We are pleased that many countries around the world have recognized the State of Palestine, but we note with concern that Israeli statements and decisions are moving in the opposite direction—namely, to prevent the establishment of a real Palestinian state altogether. This solution, the establishment of a Palestinian state, seems more feasible today than ever in light of events over the past two years. It is the ‘two peoples, two states’ path, which the Holy See has supported from the beginning. The fate of the two peoples and two states is intertwined and interconnected.”

He pointed to “the violent settlement expansion that seeks to make the establishment of a Palestinian state impossible.”