STATEMENT: War Is Not the Solution: Caritas Supports Pope’s Appeal for Peace through Dialogue
The following is a statement from Caritas Internationalis concerning recent US and Israeli military action against Iran.
1 March 2026 - ROME - Caritas unequivocally condemns US and Israel’s attacks on Iran on Saturday, in which they claim to have dropped over 1,200 bombs, and Iran’s retaliatory attacks of Israel and several other countries in the region, including Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates.
These acts of war increase the tension, violence and instability in the region, jeopardising prospects of peace, and constitute grave violations of human dignity, the rule of law, and International Law, including International Humanitarian Law, which protects civilians and non-combatants in conflict. Schools, hospitals, and populated civilian areas, which should be sanctuaries of learning, care and safety, are protected spaces under International Humanitarian Law; attacks on which, deliberately or recklessly, are morally indefensible and legally prohibited.
In this moment of rapidly escalating regional tension, Caritas urges all parties to step back from the brink immediately and diffuse the situation, to refrain from further military action, and to uphold their obligation to protect civilians without exception. The loss of innocent life, particularly that of children, demands urgent restraint and a renewed commitment to diplomacy.
In today’s Angelus, responding to the spiralling violence in the Middle East, Pope Leo appealed powerfully for stability and peace, which can only be achieved through reasonable, sincere, dialogue.
Addressing all the parties involved directly, Pope Leo said:
“Faced with the possibility of a tragedy of immense proportions, I make a heartfelt appeal to all the parties involved to assume the moral responsibility of halting the spiral of violence before it becomes an unbridgeable chasm. May diplomacy regain its proper role, and may the well-being of peoples, who yearn for peaceful existence founded on justice, be upheld. And let us continue to pray for peace.”
Caritas echoes this urgent appeal. Justice, restraint, and the primacy of human life must guide national leaders’ every decision in this critical moment. The international community must act swiftly to prevent further loss of innocent life and to ensure accountability, protection, and a genuine path toward peace.
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