Pope Francis affirmed Israel’s right to defend itself during a general audience on Wednesday, but he questioned if violence would solve the border conflict.
The pontiff made the remarks during his weekly General Audience with the public at the Vatican on Wednesday after preaching about the life of St. Josephine Bakhita.
“I continue to follow what is happening in Israel and Palestine with tears and apprehension: many people killed, others injured,” Pope Francis said following his speech. “I pray for those families who have seen a feast day transformed into a day of mourning, and I ask that the hostages be released immediately.”
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The pope affirmed the right of Israelis to defend themselves following the massive terrorist attack launched by Hamas, but he mourned the innocent lives lost in the conflict.
“It is the right of those who are attacked to defend themselves,” the pope said, “but I am very concerned about the total siege under which the Palestinians are living in Gaza, where there have also been many innocent victims.”
As of Thursday morning, Israel Defense Forces said more than 1,200 Israelis are dead and at least 3,000 are wounded.
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In addition to the Israeli deaths, 1,203 Palestinians have been killed since Saturday morning and 5,763 have been wounded, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health.
“Terrorism and extremism do not help reach a solution to the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians, but fuel hatred, violence, revenge, and only cause each to other suffer,” Pope Francis said. “The Middle East does not need war, but peace, a peace built on dialogue and the courage of fraternity.”
Catholic leadership in the region has shown support for Israel’s efforts to defend itself following Hamas’s massive attack on military and civilian lives last week but have pushed for a cease-fire to stop the carnage as soon as possible.
“The continuing bloodshed and declarations of war remind us once again of the urgent need to find a lasting and comprehensive solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict in this land,” Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem Pierbattista Pizzaballa said in a statement on Saturday.
The Custody of the Holy Land, the Catholic priory tasked with administrating and protecting holy sites from the life of Jesus Christ, is working to keep pilgrimage sites open for faithful currently in Israel.
“Our sanctuaries remain open for the time being, especially to allow the pilgrimages underway to be able to carry out their spiritual experience as well as possible,” the Custody of the Holy Land wrote in a statement.
