Israel

As a peace deal nears, Father Gabriel Romanelli, pastor of Gaza City’s Catholic parish, said the entire Gaza Strip has experienced a “tsunami” of destruction.

With the start of the first phase of a peace deal between Israel and Gaza, Pope Leo XIV prayed for a just and lasting peace that respects all people.

Israel’s government ratified what the White House called the “first phase” of a ceasefire deal, as President Donald Trump indicated he planned to visit the region.

In his own post, Netanyahu said only, “With God’s help we will bring them all home,” an apparent reference to the hostages.

The federal government shutdown stretched into its third day with indications it would continue after lawmakers once again failed to pass a spending bill. 

President Donald Trump on Oct. 3 called on Israel to stop bombing Gaza after Hamas agreed to the release of its Israeli hostages, pending negotiation of the details. 

President Trump released a peace plan to end the Israel-Hamas war which was met with cautious optimism from some world leaders and skepticism from others.

Christian leaders in the Holy Land are pushing back against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Sept. 26 speech at the United Nations

As Israeli military operations in Gaza continued, Pope Leo XIV met with Israeli President Isaac Herzog at the Vatican.

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope Leo XIV appealed to Israel and Hamas to stop the violence that has caused “so much terror, destruction and death.” “I plead for all hostages …