Dhaka, Oct. 29 -- Pope Leo XIV on Wednesday reaffirmed the Catholic Church's condemnation of antisemitism and pledged to combat it, amid rising tensions linked to Israel's war in Gaza.

Speaking during a general audience marking the 60th anniversary of the landmark Vatican document Nostra Aetate, the pope acknowledged past misunderstandings and conflicts with Jews but stressed the church's ongoing commitment to friendship with the Jewish community.

The document, issued in 1965, repudiates the "deicide" charge that blamed Jews collectively for Christ's death and condemns antisemitism in all forms. Leo quoted Nostra Aetate, emphasizing that the church "does not tolerate antisemitism and fights against it, on the basis of the Gospel itself....