• Pope Francis calls for the release of Israeli hostages and an end to the Gaza conflict.
• He emphasizes the need for increased humanitarian aid to address the dire situation in Gaza.
• He expresses sorrow over the violence affecting both Israelis and Palestinians.

Pope Francis called for the release of Israeli hostages and urged an end to the conflict in Gaza. Additionally, he emphasized the need for increased humanitarian aid to address the dire situation in Gaza.

The Israel-Hamas war resulted in the death of around 1,200 people and the taking of approximately 240 hostages. According to Hamas, over 20,000 Palestinians have lost their lives due to Israeli bombing.

The Pope expressed sorrow over the violence affecting both Israelis and Palestinians while addressing St Peter’s Basilica.

“I bear in my heart the sorrow of the victims of the abominable attack of 7 October and I reiterate my urgent appeal for the liberation of those still being held hostage.

“I plead for an end to the military operations with their appalling harvest of innocent civilian victims, and I call for a solution to the desperate humanitarian situation by an opening to the provision of humanitarian aid,” he said.

Israel has reported that 132 individuals remain in captivity in Gaza even after the release of some hostages.

He also said that he prayed “that political and social stability will soon be attained” in Syria, Lebanon, and Yemen, countries rocked by years of war and unrest.

Pope Francis expressed his wish for peaceful solutions for other trouble spots, including Armenia and Azerbaijan, parts of Africa, and North and South Korea.

He also spoke up for millions of migrants around the world, highlighting those killed “in odysseys undertaken in desperation and search of hope”, calling them “the little Jesuses of today”.

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