Pope appeals for ceasefire ‘on all war-fronts’ by Christmas

By Linda Bordoni

Pope Francis on Sunday launched a plea directly to political leaders and to the international community that ceasefires may be agreed upon in all countries torn by war before Christmas.

“I appeal to Governments and the International Community, that a ceasefire may be reached on all war fronts by the Christmas celebrations,” he said during the Angelus prayer.

His words followed his request that all men and women of goodwill join in prayer for peace in war-torn countries worldwide.

“Let us continue to pray for peace, in tormented Ukraine, in the Middle East – Palestine, Israel, Lebanon, and now Syria – in Myanmar, in Sudan, and wherever people suffer from war and violence,” the Pope pleaded.

Countries at war

His reiterated appeal comes as violence continues to rage in Gaza, where over 40,300 people have been killed since the Hamas attack on Israel on 7 October 2023 and in neighbouring Lebanon where Israeli attacks have also escalated in the past months; as Ukraine recently marked the tragic milestone of 1,000 days from a full-blown Russian invasion of the country; in Myanmar where civil war has been ongoing g since a military coup overthrew the government in 2021; in Sudan where fighting between the army and paramilitary rebels has killed over 60,000 people and displaced millions since April 2023.

The Pope also mentioned the volatile situation in Syria where a 14-year conflict appears to have come to a head in the past hours with rebels claiming to have captured the capital, Damascus.