Catholic Clergy March on Vatican Demanding End to Gaza Conflict

Approximately 150 Catholic clergy members, including priests, friars, nuns, and a bishop from various parts of the world, marched to the Vatican on Tuesday, praying in front of St. Peter's Basilica to demand an end to what they described as the "genocide" in Gaza. The group, known as "Priests Against Genocide," carried a banner bearing the names of 300 children who died during the conflict in Gaza and southern Lebanon.

The protesters, who did not enter Vatican territory but were escorted by Italian police, later moved to the Palestinian and Lebanese embassies, as well as the Rome headquarters of Italian defense manufacturer Leonardo SpA. Organizers stated that the network, formed in August 2025, now comprises over 2,500 priests and bishops globally.

This demonstration marked a significant increase in turnout compared to a similar march held by the group last year. Bishop Franco Moscone of Manfredonia, Italy, was among the participants.

International experts, including those commissioned by a United Nations body, have indicated that Israel's war in the Gaza Strip may constitute genocide. Pope Francis has previously called for an investigation into whether genocide has occurred. Israel has strongly denied these accusations, asserting that it endeavors to avoid civilian casualties and attributes deaths to Hamas, which it claims operates in densely populated areas.

Israel initiated its military operation in Gaza following Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023, which resulted in the deaths of approximately 1,200 people, primarily civilians. Gaza health officials report that over 73,000 Palestinians have been killed in the conflict, with women and children comprising nearly half of the fatalities, according to their figures.