By Mark DaCosta- Sunday Pope Francis made a statement regarding the ongoing crisis in Gaza. The Pope called for respect for humanitarian law amid reports of escalating Israeli attacks against Gaza’s civilian infrastructure, and a rising death toll in the Palestinian enclave. The leader of the Roman Catholic Church made the remarks as His Holiness addressed pilgrims in St. Peter’s Square at midday, October 15.
The pontiff said: “In Gaza there is an urgent need to guarantee humanitarian corridors and to rescue the entire population,” referring to the embattled Gaza Strip, where Israel has cut off water, electricity, and humanitarian aid, and also is not allowing residents to leave.
Pope Francis also called on both Israel and Palestine to halt violence and spilling “innocent blood.”
The pontiff also repeated his call for the release of hostages taken in the conflict, the pontiff said: “I strongly demand that children, the elderly, women and all civilians are not victims of the conflict.”
“Please do not shed any more innocent blood, neither in the Holy Land, nor in Ukraine, nor anywhere else! Enough! Wars are always a defeat, always!” Pope Francis said.
Pope Francis also invited all believers to join the church on Tuesday for a Day of Prayer and Fasting.
The Pope made his call for peace even as the United Nations is reporting that more than a million Palestinian civilians have been displaced from Northern Gaza. That would be half of the population of the enclave. The displaced civilians – it is being reported – have no place to go. The displacement was triggered after Israel warned Palestinian civilians to leave Northern Gaza ahead of a planned Israeli ground offensive.
Following the pontiff’s statement, Israel responded by protesting the calls.
Israel’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Eli Cohen said the following in a statement on Sunday evening:
“It is inconceivable that an announcement essentially expressing concern for the residents of Gaza is issued at the same time Israel is burying 1,300 murdered citizens.” The foreign minister was apparently making reference to Israelis killed during an attack by Palestinian militants on October 7.
Over the years, Pope Francis has consistently called for peace and dialogue as the only viable solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He has condemned acts of violence and expressed deep concern over the suffering of innocent civilians, particularly in Gaza.
