Palestinian Islamist militant group Hamas sent its congratulations to new Pope Leo XIV and voiced hope that he would follow his predecessor Pope Francis when it comes to the war in the Gaza Strip.
Israel’s foreign ministry also congratulated the new pope, the first from the United States, who was elected on Thursday.
Why It Matters
The late Pope Francis, who died last month aged 88, had been outspoken on the suffering in the Gaza Strip, which has been devastated by Israeli forces in the war that began when Hamas attacked Israel in October 2023.
While delivering an overall message of peace, the new Catholic Church leader has yet to set out a strong position or to make clear whether he will maintain Francis’ commitment to Gaza and other specific crises.
What To Know
“The Islamic Resistance Movement extends its sincere congratulations and blessings to Pope Leo XIV on the occasion of his election as head of the Catholic Church,” said a statement from Hamas.
“We wish him success in fulfilling his spiritual and humanitarian mission amid the tragedies and disasters afflicting the world—foremost among them the ongoing brutal Zionist aggression against our Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip.”
“We deeply value the courageous humanitarian positions expressed by the late Pope Francis, his repeated solidarity with the Palestinian people, and his rejection of the occupation and its repressive policies.”
Hamas, which seeks Israel’s destruction and replacement with an Islamic state, had faced a backlash from those taking an even harder Islamic line after it expressed condolences on the death of Pope Francis.
Israel also welcomed the new pope. Its relationship with Pope Francis had been strained – particularly after Francis had urged an investigation into allegations of genocide over Israel’s actions in the Gaza Strip — in what amounted to rare political criticism from the Vatican.
In the month following Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack and Hamas’s seizing of hundreds of Israeli hostages, Francis had nontheless prayed they would soon be freed and called for dialogue.
Even while hospitalized, the Pope had called leaders of the tiny Christian minority in Gaza to offer support.
What People Are Saying
Hamas statement: “We look forward to Pope Leo XIV continuing this moral path in defending the oppressed and taking active steps in international forums to stop the crime of genocide and ethnic cleansing committed by the Zionist occupation against children, women, and unarmed civilians in Gaza, and to halt the systematic violations of Islamic and Christian holy sites in the land of Palestine.”
Pope Leo XIV: “Christ precedes us. The world needs his light. Humanity needs him as the bridge to allows it to be reached by God and by his love. Help us, too, and help each other to build bridges, with dialogue, with meetings, uniting us all to be one people, always in peace.”
Israeli Foreign Ministry: “We congratulate Cardinal Robert Prevost, Pope Leo XIV — the first American Pope — and Catholics around the world. We look forward to working together to further strengthen the relationship between the Jewish state and the Holy See. We hope to welcome you soon to the Holy Land.”
What Happens Next
Pope Leo’s comments on the situation in the Gaza Strip and the broader Holy Land will be closely scrutinized for indications as to his position, with Palestinians hoping for strong words of support.
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