Pope Francis expressed his sorrow on Friday over the conflict in Palestine and Israel amid the ongoing war between the Jewish state and Hamas in Gaza. In a message written by the 84-year-old Pope and sent to an Arabic channel on the occasion of the end of Ramadan, which was published by the Vatican, he said: “I am saddened by the conflict between Palestine and Israel.”
He added: “Let there be an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, where a humanitarian disaster is occurring, and let assistance reach the suffering Palestinian population, and may the hostages taken in October be released.” The Pope also mentioned the tormented Syria and Lebanon and all of the Middle East in his message.
Continuing in his message, the Pope said: “Enough, stop! Please, stop the noise of weapons and think of the children, think of all children as you would think of your own.” He went on: “They need homes and schools and gardens, not graves and trenches!”
Furthermore, the Director of the U.S. Agency for International Development, Samantha Power, informed members of both the House and the Senate in Congress that famine had indeed started in areas of northern Gaza, nearly six months into the Israeli war.
The Gaza Health Ministry announced on Friday that the Israeli army had committed 8 massacres in the sector within 24 hours, resulting in 89 deaths and 120 injuries. Thus, the total number of victims of Israeli attacks on the sector has risen to 33,634 dead and 76,214 injured since October 7.
The Israeli army continues to bomb various areas in the sector for the 189th consecutive day, despite a United Nations Security Council resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire.
Since October 7, Pope Francis has been vocal about the conflict in Gaza, consistently advocating for an immediate cessation of hostilities and addressing the humanitarian crisis. In his addresses, the Pope often extends his plea for peace to include all conflict-affected regions, highlighting the global need for harmony and the protection of human rights.
