150 Catholic priests and nuns march toward Vatican to demand end to Gaza ‘genocide’

Some 150 Catholic priests and friars, a bishop and nuns from around the world marched toward the Vatican and prayed Tuesday in front of St. Peter’s Basilica to call for an end to what they called the “genocide” in Gaza. The protesters carried a banner down the main boulevard leading to the Vatican bearing the names of 300 children who they say died during Israel’s war against the Iran-backed Hamas and Hezbollah terror groups in Gaza and southern Lebanon. The marchers didn’t enter Vatican territory and had an Italian police escort. The “Priests Against Genocide” network was born in August 2025 and currently includes more than 2,500 priests and bishops from five continents, organizers said. Among those marching Tuesday was the bishop of Manfredonia, Italy, Franco Moscone. After praying near the Vatican, the protesters moved to the Palestinian and Lebanese embassies, and then onto the Rome headquarters of Italian defense manufacturer Leonardo SpA. It was a significantly larger turnout than a march the group held last year. A number of experts, including those commissioned by a UN body, and multiple rights groups have asserted that Israel’s war in the Gaza Strip amounted to genocide , and Pope Francis once called for an investigation to determine if a genocide had taken place. Get The Times of Israel's Daily Edition by email and never miss our top stories Newsletter email address Get it By signing up, you agree to the terms The accusation has been vehemently denied by Israel, which says it tries to avoid harming civilians and has blamed their deaths on Hamas because the terrorist group operates in densely populated areas and embeds its military infrastructure in homes, schools, mosques and hospitals. Demonstrators show a placard as they gather with priests from the ‘Priests Against Genocide’ network during a demonstration near St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican, September 22, 2026. (AP/Gregorio Borgia) In 2025, investigators at the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry, or COI, accused Israel of committing “genocide” in Gaza in a bid to “destroy the Palestinians,” blaming Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other top officials for incitement. Israel rejected the report as “distorted and false,” noting its authors’ history of vehemently anti-Israeli positions. The COI does not speak on behalf of the UN and it is not a legal body. Advertisement Israel launched its offensive in Gaza in response to the Hamas attack that killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, on October 7, 2023. Hamas and other terrorists who invaded Israel took 251 people captive, a mix of soldiers and civilians, including children and the elderly. Health officials linked to Hamas say more than 73,000 Palestinians have died. They do not give a breakdown between civilians and terror operatives, but claim that women and children make up nearly half of the dead. The Israeli military believes that Hamas’s overall toll is largely accurate, with IDF officials estimating that two to three civilians were killed for every dead terror operative. The IDF says it has killed over 24,000 combatants in Gaza and another 1,200 terrorists inside Israel during and immediately after the October 7 onslaught. Help us report truthfully on social media As a multimedia journalist, my job is to take the quality, fact-based journalism produced by The Times of Israel newsroom and make it accessible across every platform — from Instagram posts to podcasts to short-form videos. This is how many, especially young people, consume news these days. But misinformation is rampant on social media. Our team at ToI produces accurate, responsible short-form reporting on Israel and the Jewish world. If you believe in the importance of factual social media journalism , please consider joining our reader support group, The Times of Israel Community. 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Sign in to stop seeing this Most Popular 1 Gunman opens fire outside Ontario synagogue on Yom Kippur; police officer seriously wounded 2 Leading US Reform rabbi in Yom Kippur sermon: Unhinged, obsessive loathing of Israel is corrupting US values 3 Analysis Despite wealth and advanced weapons, Saudis fumbling in fight against Houthis 4 Analysis Making room for Haredim, army struggles to not impinge on others’ space 5 After cordial meeting with Trump, Mamdani decries ‘architect of genocide’ Netanyahu 6 Terror victim Netanel Shukrun laid to rest as his son thanks him ‘for saving my life’ 7 Official Israeli map website reveals location of IDF bases in Gaza 8 Ed Sheeran says Gaza situation ‘unjustifiable’ amid ongoing outcry over Macklemore’s ouster read more: Israel & the Region Gaza Strip Vatican Israel-Vatican relations St. Peter's Basilica 2023-2025 Israel-Hamas war If you’d like to comment, join The Times of Israel Community. JOIN THE TOI COMMUNITY Already a member? 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