My dear brothers and sisters,
In these dark hours of pain and conflict, I feel in the depths of my soul a call I cannot ignore. As a humble servant of God and a brother to all who suffer, I will travel to the Gaza Strip and remain there as a spiritual witness for peace until a credible agreement ends the violence. I undertake this journey with profound love for every human life – Israeli and Palestinian – and with the firm conviction that war is never a solution but always a defeat of humanity. Every person is a child of God, endowed with equal dignity, and the loss of any innocent life is a wound to all of us.

I go to Gaza not as a politician or mediator, but as a pastor and a father, carrying neither weapons nor propositions, only the Gospel message of nonviolence and the universal value of human fraternity. In the face of bloodshed and despair, I wish to be present among the wounded, the displaced, the frightened children and grieving parents – to pray with them, weep with them, and uphold the inviolate principle that civilians must be protected. By standing in solidarity with the most vulnerable, I hope to echo the cry of all who yearn for safety and compassion: that every hospital corridor be respected, every refugee be sheltered, and every child be shielded from harm.

This decision is born of prayer and a plea to God for mercy. It does not take sides in earthly disputes; it takes the side of life and love. I implore all leaders and fighters: stop the violence, for the sake of your own children’s future. Listen to the voice of your conscience and the cry of God’s people: no more rockets, no more bombs, no more blood spilled on this holy ground that we all, Jews, Christians, and Muslims alike, hold dear. To those who have the power to kill, I beg you to instead have the courage to respect life and lay down arms. To the international community, I ask you to protect the innocent and work tirelessly for a just and lasting peace.

My presence in Gaza will be a small mustard seed of hope. I go with faith that the heart of every human person can be moved by compassion. I will stay in this land of suffering as a guest and brother to all, praying unceasingly that hardened hearts soften. Let us remember that violence begets more violence, but courageous forgiveness and dialogue can beget peace. With God’s help and the world’s solidarity, a new dawn can rise over the ashes of this war – a dawn of justice, reconciliation, and hope.

I entrust this mission to the maternal care of Mary, Queen of Peace, and I ask everyone – whether you worship in a church, synagogue, mosque or in the silence of your heart – to join me in prayer and action for peace. May our common humanity prevail over division. May the houses of Gaza and Israel alike ring out not with sirens and cries, but with laughter and the quiet rhythms of normal life. With humility, I will stand in Gaza until that day comes, or until my last breath, offering what little I have – a voice of prayer and a presence of peace – so that all God’s children in the Holy Land may live and thrive in peace at last.

Franciscus
21 April 2025