Caritas Internationalis calls for end to Middle East suffering

Caritas Internationalis and Caritas Middle East and North Africa are urging world leaders at the United Nations General Assembly to act decisively to stop the escalation of violence and the polycrisis in the Middle East. In a joint statement, the organizations called for an end to daily bombardments, confinement, and forced displacement affecting people in Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon, Syria, and Iran.

The organizations reported that the ceasefire announced on October 10, 2025, has been violated daily by Israeli forces for 337 consecutive days leading up to September 14, 2026. In Gaza, most of the 2.1 million residents remain displaced and confined to roughly 30 percent of the land area. According to UN OCHA, only about 40 percent of the necessary humanitarian funding for 2026 has been received, leaving much of the population without shelter, water, sanitation, or food security.

The statement also noted that a June 2026 report from the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory identified the deliberate targeting of Palestinian children. Caritas Internationalis and Caritas Middle East and North Africa called for the international community to uphold international law and ensure judicial accountability for those driving the conflict.