Pope Francis on Sunday appealed for an urgent end to the conflict in Gaza and called for humanitarian aid to ease the “very serious” situation and help the injured.
Speaking to the crowd in St Peter’s Square after his weekly event, he said, “I keep thinking about the grave situation in Palestine and Israel where so many lives have been lost. I pray that in the name of God you Stop, turn off the fire.” Angel prayer.
He added, “I hope that everything will be done to prevent an escalation of the conflict, rescue the injured and ensure aid reaches the population of Gaza, where the humanitarian situation is very serious.”
The pontiff reiterated his call for a ceasefire and the release of hostages taken by Hamas during the October 7 attack, focusing on children who he said “must be returned to their families “.
He said, “Let’s think about the children, all the children involved in this war like Ukraine and other conflicts; their future is being killed.”
Pope Francis, 86, has already called for the creation of humanitarian corridors and stressed the need for a two-state solution to end the Israel-Hamas war.
More than 9,770 Palestinians have been killed in the conflict, which began when Hamas fighters launched a surprise attack on southern Israel, resulting in the deaths of 1,400 people and more than 240 others, a Gaza health official said on Sunday. Was kidnapped.
The Pope extended his prayers to include victims of the Nepal earthquake, Afghan refugees and those affected by floods in Italy.
