ISTANBUL

The Vatican believes that the two-state solution is the only "viable" and "equitable" path toward just and lasting peace for Israel and Palestine, Vatican News reported Thursday.

Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations Archbishop Gabriele Caccia, on the occasion of the UN high-level conference on Palestine, said on Wednesday that the Vatican firmly believes a two-state solution, “based on secure and internationally recognized borders, is the only viable and equitable path toward a just and lasting peace.”

Archbishop Caccia expressed the Vatican's "commitment" to supporting the rights of the Palestinians and their "legitimate aspirations" to live in security and dignity "within an independent and sovereign State.”

He further noted that Jerusalem needs a status that "rises above political divisions and preserves this unique identity."

Voicing concern over the deteriorating humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip, he called 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.”

The Israeli army, rejecting international calls for a ceasefire, has pursued a brutal offensive on Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023, killing more than 60,000 Palestinians. The relentless bombardment has devastated the enclave and led to food shortages.

Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.​​​​​​​ Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.