Pope Leo XIV has thrown his support behind President Trump's Middle East peace initiative.
The pontiff told reporters Tuesday that he considers Trump's 20-point plan to end the war between Israel and Hamas a "realistic proposal" and urged the terrorist organization to accept it. Breitbart reported that Pope Leo expressed optimism about the White House's approach to the Middle East conflict.
Pope Leo, who became head of the Catholic Church in May, has prioritized calling for peace in both Gaza and Ukraine. The pontiff said the plan contained "very interesting elements" and reiterated his hope that Hamas would accept it within the established timeframe.
Vatican News noted that Pope Leo habitually addresses reporters on Tuesday evenings before his Wednesday general audience. While responding critically or cautiously to other questions about the Trump administration, he expressed genuine optimism regarding the Middle East peace approach.
The pope called for more aggressive measures to combat alleged climate change during his remarks. He also expressed concern about Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth's plans to overhaul military standards and leadership approaches.
Pope Leo described Hegseth's rhetoric about creating more masculine and physically fit military leadership as "worrying." He hoped the new military approach would work, but emphasized that there should be no war and that efforts must focus on achieving peace.
President Trump unveiled the comprehensive 20-point plan during a Monday White House meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The proposal calls for near-immediate cessation of hostilities between Hamas jihadists and the Israel Defense Forces if both sides accept the agreement.
The plan requires all remaining hostages taken on October 7, 2023, to be returned within 72 hours of Israel's public acceptance. In exchange, Israel would release 250 life sentence prisoners plus 1,700 Gazans detained after the October 7 attacks.
The agreement prevents Israel from annexing Gaza and requires complete IDF withdrawal from the territory. An "apolitical" committee would govern the Gaza Strip under oversight from a "Board of Peace" led by Trump and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair.
The proposal offers amnesty to Hamas jihadists who commit to peaceful coexistence and weapon decommissioning. However, the text does not specify oversight operations to ensure terrorists maintain their commitment to peace rather than reverting to violent jihad.
While individual terrorists may receive amnesty, the proposal explicitly states that Hamas as an entity can never govern Gaza again. This distinction aims to separate individual rehabilitation from organizational dismantlement of the terrorist group.
A coalition of regional foreign ministers published a letter Tuesday announcing support for Trump's plan, including representatives from Saudi Arabia, Jordan, the UAE, Indonesia, Pakistan, Turkey, Qatar, and Egypt. The letter notably omitted any mention of Hamas but expressed confidence in Trump's personal ability to resolve the conflict.
French President Emmanuel Macron welcomed Trump's commitment to ending the Gaza war and ensuring hostage releases. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the initiative "profoundly welcome" and praised Trump's leadership in efforts to end fighting and provide humanitarian assistance.
European leaders who recently called for Palestinian statehood without clear border or leadership parameters also expressed Tuesday support. Both Macron and Starmer emphasized the urgency of implementing the agreement and releasing all hostages immediately.
Pope Leo has made ending conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine a central priority of his papacy since assuming leadership. In August, he called on Catholics to fast and pray during the commemoration of the queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary, emphasizing that "Mary is the Mother of the faithful here on earth and is remembered as the Queen of Peace."