VATICAN CITY—In public remarks that drew global attention, Pope Louis called for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza and ‘true and lasting peace’ in Ukraine. While such appeals reflect the aspirations of millions yearning for an end to bloodshed, the response from Israel—locked in a war imposed by Iranian-backed Hamas following the October 7, 2023 massacre—raises significant questions about the complexities of achieving lasting peace and the difficulties of moral symmetry in international appeals.
On October 7, 2023, Israel suffered the most devastating antisemitic atrocity since the Holocaust, as Hamas terrorists—funded and armed by Iran—breached its borders, killed over 1,200 civilians, committed brutal acts of violence including sexual abuse and mutilation, and abducted more than 250 people, among them women, children, and elderly residents. The atrocities were not random, but part of a systematic campaign by Hamas and its backers to destabilize Israel, foment regional chaos, and advance Iran’s vision of a Middle East dominated by its Axis of Resistance: a network of aligned groups in Gaza, Lebanon, Yemen, Syria, and Iraq.
In the aftermath, Israel launched Operation Iron Swords, a campaign intended to dismantle Hamas’ military infrastructure in Gaza, while adhering—under intense international scrutiny—to humanitarian and legal obligations to minimize harm to Gaza’s civilian residents. Israeli leaders, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz, have repeatedly stressed the campaign’s defensive nature, emphasizing that the aim is to prevent future mass terror attacks and secure the release of the remaining hostages in Gaza—an issue that continues to haunt Israeli society and shape its war objectives.
International appeals, including the pope’s recent message, often frame the violence in Gaza as symmetrical and call for immediate cessation of hostilities. However, Israeli officials and many in the international security establishment argue that such equivalence is misleading. Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and other proxy groups continually reject ceasefire efforts unless conditions allow them to retain power, rearm, and continue their campaign to destroy Israel. In previous ceasefires brokered by international mediators, Hamas exploited the pause in fighting to rebuild tunnels, replenish rocket supplies, and regroup for further assaults—not for negotiation or reconciliation.
The presence of Iranian military and financial support in Gaza, Lebanon, and the wider region remains the core obstacle to lasting peace. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has armed and trained not only Hamas but also Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen, and various militias in Syria and Iraq. All share the stated aim of eliminating Israel, and each has launched rockets and attacks on Israeli and Western targets in the current conflict. Thus, Israeli leaders insist, any true peace must include measures to eliminate the terror infrastructure in Gaza and prevent Iranian interference.
A further complicating factor is the ongoing hostage crisis. The more than 130 Israelis and foreign nationals still held captive in Gaza are innocent civilians, seized in direct violation of international law and used as leverage in negotiations. Attempts at exchange deals have further illustrated stark differences in international legal standards: Israel is often asked to release convicted terrorists—many with blood on their hands—while pleading for the return of children, mothers, and elderly abducted from their homes by force. Human rights groups warn that equating the kidnapping of innocent civilians with the detention of convicted terrorists is a false moral symmetry that undermines justice and accountability.
While global faith leaders and diplomats continue to call for immediate ceasefires and humanitarian pauses, Israel’s security doctrine—shaped by historical necessity and a legacy of failed ceasefires—requires that any cessation of hostilities must guarantee an end to the threat posed by Hamas and affiliated terrorist groups. The bitter lessons of past truces, which allowed terror groups to prepare for further violence, have left many Israelis skeptical of peace calls that do not address Iran’s role or the underlying objectives of the Axis of Resistance.
In parallel, Israel has implemented humanitarian corridors, deployed warning systems, and facilitated the movement of aid into Gaza. However, Israeli officials, independent analysts, and international monitors have documented Hamas’ routine use of civilian infrastructure as military shields, deliberate endangerment of Gaza’s population, and systematic theft of humanitarian supplies. These tactics both endanger residents and complicate Israel’s efforts to reduce civilian casualties, offering another challenge to the simple narrative of symmetrical suffering and responsibility.
The war’s regional dimension cannot be ignored. Iranian-backed attacks from Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen, and proxies in Syria and Iraq have broadened the conflict, threatening international shipping, energy supplies, and regional stability. The United States, led by President Donald Trump, continues to stand with Israel, affirming its right to self-defense, deploying naval assets to deter wider escalation, and pressing for the release of all hostages. European states and the United Nations, while urging restraint, have also recognized Iran’s central role in the ongoing instability.
Israel’s government and national security establishment are unequivocal: Only the disarmament of Iranian-backed terror factions and international guarantees preventing their reconstitution can create the conditions for peace in Gaza and beyond. Reconstruction, economic development, and the restoration of normal life in Gaza must rest on foundations free of terror rule and foreign interference.
Underpinning all appeals for peace and justice is the need for moral clarity. Israeli commentators and supporters warn that diluting the distinction between a democratic nation defending its citizens and terror groups bent on mass murder not only undermines international law but also emboldens future atrocities. The enduring lesson of October 7th is that security, accountability, and the unequivocal rejection of terror are the prerequisites for a genuine and lasting peace for Israelis, Gaza residents, and the broader Middle East.
As prayers rise from Vatican windows and diplomatic statements multiply, the future of peace in the region hinges not on proclamations of symmetry, but on a common commitment to confront and dismantle the machinery of terror and ensure that Israeli and regional civilians never again face the horrors of October’s massacre.
