Palestinians are mourning the death of Pope Francis, whose voice echoed far beyond the walls of the Vatican. He was not just a religious figure, but a rare moral authority who dared to speak out against injustice where others remained silent. His passing on Easter Monday, at the age of 88, marks the end of a papacy rooted in courage, empathy, and the unwavering defence of the oppressed.

Throughout his time as pontiff, Pope Francis condemned violence and war in all its forms, but his words carried particular weight when he addressed the suffering in Gaza. While much of the world looked away, he stood with the Palestinian people, calling for an end to what he described as acts of cruelty and oppression. His calls for peace were not vague appeals, but pointed demands for accountability and compassion in the face of occupation and bloodshed.

For Palestinians, his solidarity was not symbolic. In a time when entire neighbourhoods were reduced to rubble and thousands were displaced or killed, the Pope's voice offered a rare glimpse of humanity from the global stage. He reminded the world that Palestinian lives matter, that justice is not a privilege of the powerful, and that faith must never be silent in the face of suffering.

His death leaves a deep void, especially among those who saw in him a partner in the struggle for dignity and self-determination. Yet his legacy lives on—in every prayer for peace, in every act of resistance rooted in hope, and in every call for justice that refuses to be silenced.