Pope Leo called for a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of all hostages in a May 28 general audience, following in the steps of his predecessor Pope Francis, who was both praised and criticized for using his position to advocate for ending the war in Gaza.

With the U.S. announcing Israel has accepted a new proposal for a temporary ceasefire with Hamas, Palestinians in the Gaza Strip expressed their hope the war would come to an end, saying that death and starvation are spreading fast in the besieged enclave.

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The Israeli forces are ramping up their deadly attacks on Gaza as emergency services are overwhelmed, helping civilians caught in recent deadly airstrikes.

Gaza is the “hungriest place on Earth” and facing catastrophe, the UN has warned, as aid continues to struggle to reach starving Palestinians. The UN’s humanitarian office s