Pope Leo XIV expressed hope that Hamas will accept President Donald Trump’s peace plan for Gaza.
“We hope they accept it; so far it seems a realistic proposal,” the Pope told reporters on the evening of September 30. Stating that the proposal has “very interesting elements,” Pope Leo added, “We hope Hamas accepts within the established timeframe.”
The Pope also expressed concern about the humanitarian emergency in Gaza, about the US Secretary of Defense’s address to military leaders, and about President Trump’s decision to rename the Department of Defense as the Department of War. He stated he would not intervene in the current Vatican appellate court proceedings related to the “trial of the century.”
Finally, the Pope addressed a question about Cardinal Blase Cupich’s controversial decision to present a lifetime achievement award to Sen. Richard Durbin.