VATICAN CITY: Pope Leo XIV on Sunday renewed his appeal for an immediate end to escalating violence across the Middle East, urging all parties to halt military attacks and return to dialogue and diplomacy as civilian casualties mount and humanitarian conditions continue to deteriorate.
The pontiff said he was following developments “with deep concern”, warning that intensified military operations were causing widespread destruction, endangering civilian lives and worsening shortages of drinking water and electricity.
In a message posted on X and during his Angelus address in Castel Gandolfo, he called for a just political solution founded on equal dignity and equal rights for every person.
I continue to follow with deep concern the ongoing and escalating violence in the #HolyLand, where, in recent days, many civilians, both in the West Bank and in Gaza, have once again fallen victim. I make a heartfelt appeal for a return to negotiations to achieve a just political…
— Pope Leo XIV (@Pontifex) July 26, 2026
Concern over Gaza and West Bank
“I continue to follow with deep concern the ongoing and escalating violence in the Holy Land, where, in recent days, many civilians, both in the West Bank and in Gaza, have once again fallen victim,” Pope Leo said.
He appealed for an immediate return to negotiations aimed at achieving a just political settlement, while urging all sides to reject further military action and unilateral decisions, particularly those affecting the status and sanctity of religious sites.
“I make a heartfelt appeal for a return to negotiations to achieve a just political solution, founded on the equal dignity and equal rights of every human person,” he said.
The Pope also called for respect for the status quo of holy places belonging to all religions.
Mediators intensify diplomatic efforts
The Pope’s appeal came after the United States paused its military strikes against Iran after nearly two weeks of sustained bombardment, while diplomatic efforts intensified to prevent a broader regional war.
The pause in US military operations coincided with renewed diplomatic initiatives aimed at preventing further escalation.
The US and Iran have submitted their responses to a joint proposal by mediators Pakistan and Qatar to resume peace talks to end months of conflict.
Washington and Tehran had responded to the Qatari-Pakistani proposal to restart talks under the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) framework, Al Arabiya reported on Sunday, citing sources.
Meanwhile, sources, cited by Anadolu Agency, said that the US Iran had communicated their willingness to pursue dialogue and diplomacy to end the renewed hostilities and return to negotiations.
The reported diplomatic progress came after US President Donald Trump ordered a pause in military strikes against Iran following nearly two weeks of consecutive attacks, while Tehran also announced it had suspended attacks after no new US strikes occurred for two nights.
The Islamabad MoU, brokered by Pakistan, was signed in June to end hostilities between the two countries and pave the way for a lasting peace agreement to permanently end the conflict.
The Islamabad MoU was signed on June 18 by US President Donald Trump, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, and Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, following Islamabad brokered a ceasefire between Washington and Tehran.
Under the Islamabad MoU, the US and Iran committed to halt military operations, reopen the Strait of Hormuz to commercial shipping, and negotiate a comprehensive agreement covering Iran’s nuclear programme, US sanctions, and a permanent ceasefire within 60 days.
Pakistan, Qatar intensify mediation
Sources, cited by Anadolu, said that Pakistan and Qatar had intensified exchanges of messages between Washington and Tehran after receiving their responses to the joint de-escalation proposal.
Earlier this week, Pakistan and Qatar proposed that both countries return to their pre-July 9 positions as an initial step towards reviving stalled negotiations aimed at permanently ending the conflict, Anadolu reported, citing official sources.
Although the sources did not disclose details of the responses, they said both sides had expressed support for dialogue and diplomacy to resolve the conflict.
The current pause in military operations had strengthened hopes that negotiations could resume after being derailed by fighting around the Strait of Hormuz and subsequent regional escalation, sources, cited by Anadolu, said.
A source, cited by Al Arabiya, said that Iran had not withdrawn from negotiations but had merely suspended them while remaining prepared to continue dialogue in accordance with the US-Iran Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding.
Iran announced on Sunday that it had halted attacks against countries in the Middle East after the United States suspended strikes over the previous two nights.
Army spokesman Mohammad Akraminia said the US attacks had continued until two nights earlier before stopping.
“Since our strategy has essentially been retaliatory, we have also halted our retaliatory operations,” Akraminia said as quoted by Iranian media.
However, Iran’s army warned that the conflict would widen if Washington resumed military operations.
