Reposted from Middle East Monitor, October 10, 2025
Pope Leo, the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican State, has reportedly praised journalists for risking their lives to report facts from conflict zones, including the Gaza Strip.
Speaking on Thursday at the 39th Conference and Extraordinary General Assembly of the Association of News Agencies (ANA), hosted at the Vatican, the Pope addressed the heads and directors of major global news agencies, among them Serdar Karagöz, Chairman of the Board and Director-General of Anadolu Agency.
The Pontiff stressed the essential role of journalism in defending truth and human dignity. “If we know what is happening today in Gaza, Ukraine, and other bombarded territories, we owe it largely to journalists,” he said, commending reporters who document events despite life-threatening risks.
He described these reports as “exceptional testimonies” that reflect the work of countless people committed to preventing the manipulation of information.
The Pope recalled that immediately after his election last May, he called for the release of persecuted and unjustly imprisoned journalists worldwide, and reiterated that appeal. He also emphasized that journalism is a right that must be safeguarded: “Freedom of access to information is one of the pillars that strengthens the fabric of our societies, and therefore it is our duty to defend and protect it.”
According to Gaza health authorities, since October 2023, Israel, with US support, has carried out a genocidal war against the Palestinians in Gaza, killing more than 67,000 people and injuring over 169,000, the majority women and children. In addition, famine has claimed at least 460 lives, including 154 children.
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