Pope Leo Says World Must Not Grow Used to War

(MENAFN) During his weekly general audience on Wednesday, Pope Leo emphasized that the world must resist becoming desensitized to the horrors of war, stressing that conflict invariably represents a loss.

He expressed deep sorrow over the ongoing suffering, highlighting Ukraine, Iran, Israel, and Gaza as regions where cries of pain are tearing at the very core of the Catholic Church. “We must not grow accustomed to war! Let us instead reject as a temptation the allure of weapons,” the Pope declared.

Leo underscored the alarming advancements in weapon technology, warning that the devastating power of modern arms threatens to drag humanity into a barbarism surpassing that of previous eras.

Echoing the words of Pope Francis, he firmly stated, “War is always a defeat!”

Since October 2023, Israel’s aggressive campaign in the Gaza Strip has claimed at least 55,637 Palestinian lives in what many describe as a genocidal conflict.

Tensions escalated further on June 13 when Israel launched widespread assaults targeting Iran’s nuclear facilities across multiple cities and key military command hubs.

Iranian sources revealed on Wednesday that Israeli airstrikes in Tehran and other densely populated regions have resulted in 585 deaths and left 1,326 injured since the offensive began last week.

In response, Iran’s military fired ballistic missiles into Israel, with reports indicating 24 fatalities and over 500 people wounded.

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