In Christmas message, Pope highlights suffering of Gazans in winter cold

In his inaugural Christmas Day address from St. Peter's Basilica, Pope Leo XIV directed the world's attention to the severe humanitarian suffering in Gaza, asking the faithful to remember those enduring a harsh winter in makeshift tents. The pontiff's message on Thursday also encompassed the plight of refugees, the displaced, and the homeless across the globe.

A Call for Compassion and Action

The Pope drew a poignant parallel between the Christian story of the Nativity and the current crisis. "The Word has pitched His fragile tent among us. How, then, can we not think of the tents in Gaza, exposed to weeks of rain, and wind, and cold?" he said. He described the "fragile... flesh of defenseless populations tried by so many wars," leaving behind "rubble and open wounds." The pontiff called for moving beyond insulated comfort to "enter into the reality of other people's lives and know the power of tenderness."

A Critique of War and Suffering

His homily included a broader critique of conflict, touching on the "fragility of human life among young people forced to take up arms." He stated that those on front lines "feel the senselessness of what is asked of them and the falsehoods that fill the pompous speeches of those who send them to their deaths." This reflection came as the pope highlighted similar hardships faced by displaced persons on every continent and the homeless living under "makeshift shelters."

The Context in Gaza

The Pope's words resonate amid a dire humanitarian situation in Gaza. While a ceasefire was agreed in October following a two-year conflict that caused widespread destruction and significant loss of life, reports of violations and ongoing casualties persist. According to Gaza's media office, hundreds of Palestinians have been killed and injured since the truce. The international community, including Türkiye—which has been a leading voice for a permanent ceasefire, humanitarian aid delivery, and a just two-state solution—continues to advocate for an end to the violence and suffering that the Pope so vividly described.