Pope Condemns Gaza Violence Amidst Deadly Aid Chaos
Thousands killed seeking food as Pope Leo XIV decries “barbarity”
Pope Leo XIV has voiced strong condemnation of the escalating violence in Gaza, labeling the conflict’s “barbarity” and the “indiscriminate use of force.” His words come as Gaza’s health ministry reports a staggering death toll of at least 73 Palestinians who were killed while queuing for food.
Deadly Incidents at Aid Distribution Points
The ministry stated on Sunday that victims perished in various locations across northern Gaza. A significant majority, 67 individuals, were reportedly killed by Israeli gunfire while awaiting UN aid trucks near the Zikim crossing into Israel.
Mohammed Abu Salmiya, director of al-Shifa hospital, informed the Associated Press that the facility received 48 fatalities and 150 wounded individuals who were seeking aid from expected lorries. He could not definitively attribute the deaths to the Israeli army, armed groups, or a combination of both.
The Israeli military acknowledged that soldiers had fired upon a large crowd in northern Gaza, which they claimed posed a threat. While aware of casualties, they noted their initial investigation found numbers lower than those reported by Gaza officials.
Pope’s Anguish Over Civilian Impact
Prior to these reports, the pontiff had pleaded for an “immediate end to the barbarity of the war and for a peaceful resolution to the conflict” during his Angelus prayer from Castel Gandolfo.
He also expressed deep sorrow over a recent Israeli strike on Gaza’s sole Catholic church, an attack that claimed three lives and injured ten, including the parish priest who maintained contact with the late Pope Francis.
“This act, unfortunately, adds to the ongoing military attacks against the civilian population and places of worship in Gaza,”
—Pope Leo XIV
The Pope urged the international community to uphold humanitarian law, protect civilians, and adhere to prohibitions against collective punishment, indiscriminate force, and forced displacement.
UN Agency Highlights Dire Conditions
Meanwhile, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, Unrwa, asserted that Israeli authorities are “starving civilians in Gaza,” a situation affecting one million children. Unrwa stated it has sufficient food stockpiled for Gaza’s entire population for over three months, calling for the opening of borders to allow aid distribution.
Unrwa previously reported that infants are succumbing to “severe acute malnutrition.”
Israel’s ban on cooperation with Unrwa in Gaza and the West Bank, based on accusations of Hamas infiltration, remains contentious, as an independent review found no evidence provided by Tel Aviv to support its claims against agency employees.
Since early March, when Israel imposed a blockade, food has become critically scarce and prohibitively expensive. The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, supported by the US and Israel, has largely taken over aid distribution, replacing the UN-led system.
As of mid-July, the UN recorded 875 deaths among those attempting to obtain food, with 674 occurring near Gaza Humanitarian Foundation sites and 201 along routes or near UN-partner convoys. Tragically, children have also been killed while fetching water.
Evacuation Orders Spark New Alarms
Adding to the escalating crisis, the Israeli military issued new evacuation orders on Sunday for areas in central Gaza, specifically in Deir al-Balah. This move has heightened concerns among families of Israeli hostages, who fear their relatives may be held in these densely populated areas.
Israeli forces have reportedly not yet entered these specific districts due to suspicions of Hamas holding hostages. It is estimated that at least 20 of the approximately 50 remaining hostages are believed to be alive.
The current conflict began with Hamas’s attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which resulted in approximately 1,200 deaths and the taking of 251 hostages.
Gaza’s health ministry reported on Sunday that since October 7, 2023, Israeli attacks on Gaza have resulted in at least 58,895 Palestinian deaths and 140,980 injuries.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported that as of July 13, 2025, over 870 people had been killed attempting to access food aid in Gaza since the beginning of the year. This includes a significant number of children and individuals killed while searching for essential supplies like water. For instance, on July 18, 2025, two young siblings were killed while fetching water from a public point in Gaza.
