Pope Francis Condemns Child Deaths Amid Global Conflicts

At a Vatican summit, Pope Francis condemned child deaths in global conflicts, emphasizing the need to protect children's lives. He criticized Israel's actions in Gaza, the Russia-Ukraine war, and U.S. immigration policies, calling for collective efforts to uphold children's rights globally.

During a Vatican summit, Pope Francis strongly condemned the tragic deaths of children in global conflicts, declaring that "nothing is worth the life of a child." He addressed an assembly of global leaders, including Queen Rania of Jordan and former Indonesian president Megawati Sukarnoputri, emphasizing the tragic toll that the ongoing violence has on innocent lives.

The pontiff has been vocal in criticizing Israel's military actions in Gaza and the violence stemming from the Russia-Ukraine conflict, without pinpointing specific conflicts in his speech. His comments come amid a critical humanitarian situation in the Palestinian enclave and a staggering estimate by the United Nations of 38 million children displaced by conflicts worldwide.

Highlighting issues beyond conflict zones, Pope Francis also criticized U.S. immigration policies that lead to distress among undocumented children at the U.S.-Mexico border. He reiterated the urgent call to protect these vulnerable groups and ensure that their rights are prioritized on the international agenda.

(With inputs from agencies.)