Pope Francis remembered as ‘dear friend’ by the people of Gaza

Thousands of pro-Palestinian social media users, as well as many from Gaza, paid tributes to Pope Francis, remembering him for his support for the Palestinian people during Israel’s 15-month ongoing onslaught in the besieged enclave. 

In his final address on Easter Sunday, Pope Francis, 88, called for a ceasefire in Gaza from the balcony of St Peter's Basilica as an aide read out a benediction in which the pope condemned the "deplorable humanitarian situation" caused by Israel’s war on Gaza, which many on social media praised. 

"I appeal to the warring parties: call a ceasefire, release the hostages and come to the aid of a starving people that aspires to a future of peace," he said. 

Upon the news of his death, many online praised the pope’s continuing support for the Palestinian people and the Catholic community, as well as churches in Gaza.

Palestinian pastor Munther Isaac mourned the death of Pope Francis, saying Palestinians, and Palestinian Christians in particular, had lost a "dear friend" who was "beloved in Palestine".

Recounting the pope's visit to Israel's separation wall in Bethlehem, Isaac said: "The Pope left, and the occupation and the wall remained."

Palestinian, and Palestinian Christians in particular, have lost a dear friend today. Pope Francis was beloved in Palestine. He conveyed true compassion to Palestinians, most notably to those in Gaza during this genocide. His pastoral heart was evident in his insistence on… pic.twitter.com/wDvgExuEhR

— Munther Isaac منذر اسحق (@MuntherIsaac) April 21, 2025

Many online said the Pope Francis “was a unique model of chivalry and humanity who shared the sorrow of the Palestinian people.”

A Palestinian journalist from Gaza also recounted that the pope called for a stop to the war in Gaza right before his death, recounting his words during the Easter speech. 

آخر وصايا البابا في آخر ظهور له قبل وفاته اليوم

"أوقفوا الحرب في غزة"

دعا البابا فرنسيس أمس إلى وقف إطلاق النار في قطاع غزة، قائلا إن الحرب الإسرائيلية على قطاع غزة "تولد الموت والدمار"، وتسبب وضعا إنسانيا "مروعا ومشينا".

وبمناسبة "عيد الفصح"، أطل البابا فرنسيس من شرفة… pic.twitter.com/nOBzZ9fEB9

— Fayed Abushammalah. فايد أبو شمالة (@fayedfa) April 21, 2025

Social media users also praised the pope for acknowledging on many occasions that there is an ongoing “genocide” in Gaza.

According to many human rights organisations, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, there is a plausible case for genocide in Gaza. 

البابا فرانسيس في آخر يوم ليه على الأرض دعا لوقف إطلاق النار في غزة
وأكتر من مرة وصف الإبادة في غزة بأنها
إرهاب إسرائيلي
موقفه كان أشجع من أغلب الحكام اللي محسوبين علينا أنهم عرب

الله ينيح روحه https://t.co/MlUC33pDjd

— Abanoub Mahrous (@BobFairhair) April 21, 2025

The leader of the world's 1.4 billion Catholics regularly publicly condemned Israel's war on Gaza before he was hospitalised. He also suggested in November that the onslaught could be classed as genocide.

"According to some experts, what is happening in Gaza has the characteristics of genocide," the pontiff wrote in a new book, Hope Never Disappoints: Pilgrims Towards a Better World.

Social media users remembered that Pope Francis was in regular contact with the churches in Gaza, while Israel was bombing the city as well as its churches. 

For me, I will remember him as the Pope who called the Holy Family Church in Gaza every day as the city, and even the church itself, was bombed by Israel. https://t.co/ep43HHgwFA

— Séamus Malekafzali (@Seamus_Malek) April 21, 2025

Members of Gaza's Christian community also said they were "heartbroken" at the death of Pope Francis, who spoke to them on the phone every evening throughout the war.

Across the wider Middle East, Palestinian, Lebanese and Syrian Christians, both Catholic and Orthodox, praised Francis' constant engagement with them as a source of solace at a time when their communities faced wars, disasters, hardship and persecution. 

"We lost a saint who taught us every day how to be brave, how to be patient and stay strong. We lost a man who fought every day in every direction to protect this small herd of his," George Antone, head of the emergency committee at the Holy Family Church in Gaza, said, according to a report. 

Antone said that Francis called the church hours after the war in Gaza began in October 2023, the start of what the Vatican News Service would describe as a nightly routine during the war. He would make sure to speak not only to the priest but to everyone else in the room.

"We are heartbroken because of the death of Pope Francis, but we know that he is leaving behind a church that cares for us and that knows us by name - every single one of us," Antone said, referring to the Christians of Gaza who number in the hundreds.