(OSV News) -- "Only through patient and inclusive dialogue" can "a just and lasting conflict resolution can be achieved" in the long-running conflict between Israelis and Palestinians, said the Holy See's permanent observer to the United Nations.
Archbishop Gabriele G. Caccia delivered a July 30 statement at the U.N.'s "High-Level International Conference for the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution."
The conference, led by co-chairs France and Saudi Arabia, took place July 28-30.
The Holy See established diplomatic relations with the U.N. in 1957, representing the Vatican City State as well as the supreme authority of the Catholic Church, including the pope as bishop of Rome and the head of the college of bishops.
In his statement, Archbishop Caccia -- pointing to the "profound anguish and terrible human suffering that has befallen the region" -- said the Holy See "reiterates its unequivocal condemnation of the heinous terrorist attack" launched by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023, against Israel, in which some 1,200 Israelis were killed and 251 hostages taken.
Currently, 50 remain in captivity, with only 20 of them believed to still be alive, and 83 of the hostages confirmed killed to date. More than 100 were released later in 2023; eight were rescued by Israeli forces.
"Terrorism can never be justified," said Archbishop Caccia.
At the same time, he said, "the Holy See emphasizes that the right to self-defense should be exercised within the traditional limits of necessity and proportionality."
Since the start of the Israel-Hamas War, which was sparked by the latter's attack, more than 60,000 Palestinians have died, according to the Hamas-run Gaza health ministry.
"The Holy See remains gravely concerned by the worsening humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip," said Archbishop Caccia, noting that "the devastating impact on civilians, especially the number of children killed, has been compounded by the destruction of homes, hospitals, and places of worship."
He highlighted the July 17 Israeli attack on Holy Family Church, Gaza's only Catholic parish, which killed three and wounded more than 10 -- including the pastor, Father Gabriel Romanelli, who sustained a light leg injury. The Israel Defense Forces said the strike was the result of a misfired munition.
Archbishop Caccia said the strike on the church further scarred "an already distressed community" and was "deeply concerning given that Christians in the region have long played a vital role as a moderating and stabilizing presence, promoting dialogue and peace."
In his statement, the archbishop also lamented "the mass displacement of families, the breakdown of essential services, growing famine, and widespread deprivation shock the human conscience," which he said "require an immediate, coordinated response from the international community.
"Therefore, the Holy See urgently calls for an immediate ceasefire, the release of all Israeli hostages, the restitution of the bodies of the deceased, the protection of all Palestinian civilians in accordance with international humanitarian law, and unhindered access to humanitarian assistance," said Archbishop Caccia.
More broadly, he said, "The Holy See remains convinced that the Two-State Solution, based on secure and internationally recognized borders, is the only viable and equitable path toward a just and lasting peace."
The solution, first advanced the U.N.'s 1947 partition plan for the region, initially sought to create both Palestinian and Israeli states, with Jerusalem internationalized. The state of Israel declared its independence the following year.
Over ensuing decades of wars, conflicts and geopolitical tensions, efforts to advance the plan have both continued and faltered, with the U.S., the European Union, Russia and the U.N. -- known as the Quartet -- releasing a road map to the two-state solution in 2003. Hamas' armed takeover of Gaza in 2007 led to several rounds of fighting with Israel over the years, punctuated by internationally mediated talks.
The current Israel-Hamas war has led to increased polarization among several nations, particularly in the West, on the recognition of Palestine as a state, with Britain, France and Canada recently indicating support for the solution, and the U.S. under President Donald Trump firmly insisting on its opposition to such recognition.
Archbishop Caccia said in his statement that "the Holy See has already taken meaningful steps" in support of the two-state solution, having "formally recognized the State of Israel through the 1993 Fundamental Agreement and the State of Palestine through the 2015 Comprehensive Agreement."
The latter document followed the signing of the 2000 Basic Agreement between the Holy See and the Palestinian Liberation Organization.
Archbishop Caccia noted in his statement that the Holy See "continues to uphold the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, including the right to self-determination," and "supports their legitimate aspirations to live in freedom, security and dignity within an independent and sovereign state."
Highlighting that Jerusalem "is sacred to Christians, Jews and Muslims alike," Archbishop Caccia said the city "requires a status that transcends political divisions and ensures the preservation of its unique identity," and reiterated the Holy See's "longstanding call for an internationally guaranteed special statute" that would ensure the rights and safety of inhabitants and heritage alike.
The archbishop stressed that such an accord "must ensure the protection of the Holy Places," while guaranteeing unhindered access to and worship at them.
In particular, Archbishop Caccia called for the preservation of the Status Quo -- an informal agreement by which Israel provides overall security of the Temple Mount, while the Islamic Waqf religious trust administers the site and stewards its religious and cultural heritage.
"In Jerusalem no one should be subjected to harassment," he said, adding that "it is regrettable that Christians feel increasingly threatened in the Old City of Jerusalem."
Archbishop Caccia concluded his remarks by quoting from Pope Leo XIV's July 20 Angelus address, in which the pope repeated his plea for "an immediate halt to the barbarism of the war and for a peaceful resolution to the conflict."
In that address, Pope Leo also urged respect for international humanitarian law, noting it bans attacks on civilians, collective punishment, the indiscriminate use of force and (with limited qualifications) forced displacement.
