The Pope has met two peace campaigners, one Israeli, the other Palestinian at the Vatican.

Maoz Inon's parents were killed in the October 7th attacks in 2023, while Aziz Abu Sarah's brother was killed in an Israeli prison during the First Intifada between 1987 and 1993.

The two men, who are friends, are co-Presidents of InterAct, an organization working towards peace.

During the meeting, Pope Leo said “Peace takes shape from the ground up, beginning with places, communities and local institutions, and by listening to what they have to tell us.”

In a post on X Aziz Abu Sarah responded “Wise words from Pope Leo! Very grateful for having the opportunity to meet him yesterday.”

In an interview with Vatican Media, Aziz Abu Sarah, who grew up in Jerusalem, recalled the moment his brother was arrested at 18 years old, when Aziz was ten. He later died in prison. He said he felt bitter over his brother’s death, but eventually understood that “every time you choose revenge, you choose hate, you are being a slave to the person who killed my brother.

"I made the choice to choose forgiveness, not because that person deserved it, but because it's my choice, and I want to be free."

Maoz Inon was born in a kibbutz in a Jewish Israeli community just a mile away from the Gaza border. His parents and several of his friends were killed in the October 7th attacks. He described having a vision where “Our tears healed the wounds, healed our burnt skin and cured us. And we kept crying and crying, and our tears went down to the ground. And our tears started washing the blood from the century long conflict between Palestinians and Israel. And our tears purifying the land, and then I could see the path to peace and reconciliation."

He became friends with Aziz, adding, "We are not just partners, but we are brothers. We are brothers, pursuing justice and peace."