Speaking after the weekly Angelus prayer, Leo called for an end “to the repeated acts of violence against the Palestinian population of the West Bank,” according to Vatican News.
He also issued an urgent appeal to the international community “to ensure that progress is made toward a ... solution, for a just and lasting peace.”
Meanwhile, the pope marked the start of the Mediterranean Games in the southern Italian city of Taranto, expressing hope that the sporting event would serve as “a prophetic sign of peace and fraternity among the peoples of this region and of the whole world.”
Athletes from countries in Africa, Asia and Europe bordering the Mediterranean are taking part in the event.