“From the Gaza Strip, the anguished cries of mothers and fathers clinging to the bodies of their children are growing louder, reaching the heavens,” he said during his weekly address in St. Peter’s Square.

The pope made a direct plea to those involved in the conflict: “End the violence. Release all hostages. Honor humanitarian law in its entirety.”

Leo, who assumed the papacy on May 8 following the death of Pope Francis, also called for peace in Ukraine.