Holy Land patriarch welcomes announcement of initial peace deal ‘with joy’ as ‘first step’ October 9, 2025By Judith Sudilovsky OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, News, World News The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem welcomed “with joy” the announcement of an initial agreement between Hamas and Israel in an Oct. 9 statement, but also stressed the “absolute urgency” for the “immediate” and “unconditional” entry of humanitarian relief and sufficient aid into Gaza.
Trump says Israel, Hamas ‘have both signed off’ on first phase of White House peace proposal October 9, 2025By Kate Scanlon OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Feature, News, World News Israel and Hamas “have both signed off” on the first phase of a White House peace proposal for Gaza, President Donald Trump said late Oct. 8 in a social media post.
Top Vatican official sees ‘perverse spiral of hatred’ in Israel-Gaza war October 6, 2025By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, News, World News The Hamas attack on Israel two years ago “was inhuman and indefensible,” the Vatican secretary of state said, and Israel’s two-year-long war on Gaza has had “disastrous and inhuman consequences.”
Cardinal Pizzaballa welcomes ceasefire talks as first step, urges prayer, perseverance October 6, 2025By Judith Sudilovsky OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Feature, News, World News As indirect ceasefire talks began in Egypt between Israel and Hamas Oct. 6 in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt — aimed at finalizing a ceasefire deal based on a proposal from U.S. President Donald Trump — the Latin patriarch of Jerusalem lauded it as an “important and long-awaited first step.”
After Oct. 7 attack, Jewish man who chose forgiveness over revenge works for peace October 6, 2025By Judith Sudilovsky OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Ecumenism and Interfaith Relations, News, World News For Maoz Inon, the past two years have been a personal journey from profound loss and anger toward the Israeli government to embracing “radical forgiveness” and working for lasting Israeli-Palestinian peace through InterAct — the NGO he co-founded with Palestinian partners Aziz Abu Sarah and Hamze Awawde.
Washington Roundup: Shutdown continues; Hamas agrees to hostage release after Trump Gaza proposal October 3, 2025By Kate Scanlon OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, News, U.S. Congress, World News The federal government shutdown stretched into its third day with indications it would continue after lawmakers once again failed to pass a spending bill.
World must recommit to peace, justice, truth, Vatican diplomat tells UN October 1, 2025By Gina Christian OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, News, Vatican, War in Ukraine, World News As the world grapples with “mounting challenges,” the global community must “recommit to the foundational pillars” of peace, justice and truth, learning from history and building a more equitable future, a top Vatican diplomat told the United Nations.
Trump peace plan to end Israel-Hamas war in Gaza met with cautious optimism, skepticism September 30, 2025By Kate Scanlon OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, News, World News President Donald Trump released a 20-point peace plan to end the Israel-Hamas war Sept. 29, which was met with cautious optimism from some world leaders and skepticism from others as it remained to be seen whether Hamas would accept the agreement amid increasing international concern about humanitarian conditions in the Gaza Strip.
Christian leaders blame Israel for dwindling number of Christians in Holy Land September 30, 2025By Junno Arocho Esteves OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Ecumenism and Interfaith Relations, News, World News Christian leaders in the Holy Land, as well as Palestinian government officials, condemned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s recent speech at the United Nations General Assembly and blamed the Israeli occupation for the decreasing number of Christians in the area.
Cardinal Pizzaballa: Situation in Gaza a ‘disaster,’ two-state solution ‘less and less real’ September 25, 2025By OSV News OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Feature, News, World News In an interview before the second anniversary of Israel-Hamas war, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin patriarch of Jerusalem said that “what is happening militarily in Gaza is a disaster,” with the consequences of a “human devastation,” and “brutalization of mutual relations between Israelis and Palestinians.”
At UN, Trump shifts tone on Ukraine, calls for Gaza ceasefire September 24, 2025By Kate Scanlon OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, News, War in Ukraine, World News President Donald Trump on Sept. 23 addressed the U.N. General Assembly amid the backdrop of conflict in Gaza and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, as world leaders still question the extent to which the U.S. will be involved in global affairs as the Trump administration implements its “America First” foreign policy.
UN’s genocide finding in Gaza seen hampered by ‘serious weakness’ in Security Council September 18, 2025By Gina Christian OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, News, World News An independent United Nations inquiry commission has concluded Israel is committing genocide in Gaza, but a “serious weakness” in the U.N.’s Security Council could prevent taking action in accord with the Genocide Convention, said Father Elias D. Mallon, special assistant to the president of the Catholic Near East Welfare Association-Pontifical Mission.
