Pope Francis has appealed for the continuation of the Gaza truce in order to free all hostages and allow humanitarian aid into the territory.
The pope, 87, made the appeal for the Holy Land at the end of his General Audience on Wednesday morning, November 29.
“I hope that the truce underway in Gaza might continue, so that all the hostages might be freed, and the necessary humanitarian aid might be able to enter.”
“May we please continue to pray for the serious situation in Israel and Palestine,” the Pope said. “Peace, please, peace.”
He called for the interim ceasefire to be continued, noting that he had lately spoken by phone with the Holy Family Catholic congregation in Gaza.
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“They don’t have water; they don’t have bread; ordinary people are suffering; the people are suffering,” he said. “It’s not those who make war who are suffering.”
“Let us now,” Pope Francis added, “ask for peace, and let us not forget while asking for peace, the dear Ukrainian people, who are suffering a lot and still fighting a war.”
“War is always a defeat,” he concluded. “Everyone loses. Well, not everyone—there’s a group that earns a lot. Those who make weapons. They earn a lot from the deaths of others.”
On Monday, Hamas and Israel agreed to a 48-hour extension of the truce, which is set to expire at midnight on Wednesday if not extended further.
Both sides are expected to release further hostages and inmates, with Hamas terrorists requesting an extension.