By Joshua McElwee
VATICAN CITY (Reuters) -Pope Leo discussed the “tragic situation in Gaza” during a meeting on Thursday with Israeli President Isaac Herzog and called for a permanent ceasefire in the Palestinian enclave, the Vatican said.
The pontiff also called for the release of remaining hostages held by Palestinian militant group Hamas, the statement said, and reiterated the Vatican’s support for a two-state solution to the decades-long Israel-Palestinian conflict.
“A prompt resumption of negotiations was hoped for … to secure the release of all hostages, urgently achieve a permanent ceasefire, facilitate the safe entry of humanitarian aid into the most affected areas, and ensure full respect for humanitarian law,” said the statement.
Herzog had earlier thanked Leo for the meeting in a post on X, and said he had received a warm welcome at the Vatican.
“Religious leaders and all who choose the path of peace must stand together in calling for the immediate release of the hostages as a first and essential step toward a better future for the entire region,” said the president.
The Vatican released photos of the leaders greeting each other in the Vatican’s apostolic palace but did not say how long they spent together. In one image, the two stand posing side-by-side, with neither smiling.
Leo, elected by the world’s cardinals in May to replace the late Pope Francis, has in the past taken a more cautious tone than Francis when speaking about Israel’s military campaign in Gaza.
Francis, who had led the Church for 12 years, had become a frequent critic of Israel. He suggested a study into whether Israel was committing genocide against the Palestinian people, which sparked sharp criticism from Israeli officials.
LEO STEPPING UP CALLS FOR CEASEFIRE
Leo has been stepping up his calls for a halt to the war in Gaza.
Thursday’s release from the Vatican was notably longer than usual for statements about the pope’s meeting with foreign leaders, which typically only offer only a few lines of information and do not give specific details about the topics discussed by the pope.
Herzog also met Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s chief diplomat, and other top Vatican officials. One official, speaking anonymously without permission, said they focused their discussions with Herzog on the need to guarantee a future for the Palestinian people.
Leo and Herzog announced earlier this week that they would meet but had disagreed publicly over whose idea the meeting was.
The Israeli presidency had issued a release on Tuesday saying Herzog would meet Leo at the pope’s invitation.
In an unusual statement later that day, the Vatican responded: “It is the Holy See’s practice to accede to requests for an audience with the pope made by Heads of State and Government; it is not its practice to extend invitations to them.”
(Reporting by Joshua McElwee, editing by Gianluca Semeraro and Keith Weir)
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