Clergy March to Vatican Demanding Ceasefire Over Gaza Operations

• Protesters carried a banner naming 300 deceased children
• ‘Priests Against Genocide’ includes over 2,500 clergy from five continents

Updated 9 min 56 sec ago

Arab News Pakistan

September 23, 2026 01:09

ROME: Approximately 150 Catholic priests, friars, a bishop, and religious sisters from various countries marched to the Vatican on Tuesday, holding prayers outside St. Peter’s Basilica to demand an end to the ongoing military operations in Gaza, which they described as constituting serious violations warranting international scrutiny.

The demonstrators carried a large banner listing the names of 300 children who have died during the conflict in Gaza and southern Lebanon as they proceeded along the main boulevard toward the Vatican. The procession, which included an Italian police escort, did not proceed onto Vatican grounds.

The protest was organized by “Priests Against Genocide,” a global network established in August 2025 that now comprises more than 2,500 clergy members across five continents, according to statement from the group’s organizers. Among the participants was Bishop Franco Moscone of Manfredonia, Italy.

Following their prayer vigil at the Vatican, the protesters proceeded to the Palestinian and Lebanese embassies in Rome before making their way to the headquarters of Leonardo SpA, a major Italian defense contractor. Organizers noted that this demonstration saw significantly greater participation compared to a similar march held the previous year.

Several international experts, including those commissioned by United Nations agencies, have previously characterized Israel’s military actions in the Gaza Strip as potentially meeting the legal criteria for genocide. Pope Francis has also publicly called for investigations into whether such violations have occurred. Israel has consistently rejected these allegations, maintaining that its military takes extensive measures to protect civilian populations and has attributed civilian casualties to militant groups operating within densely populated areas.

The Israeli government initiated its military campaign in Gaza following the October 7, 2023, attacks by Hamas that resulted in approximately 1,200 deaths, predominantly among civilians. According to Gaza health authorities, more than 73,000 Palestinians have been killed since the onset of hostilities. While these officials do not distinguish between combatants and civilians in their reporting, they estimate that women and children account for nearly half of the fatalities.

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