Pope Francis appeals for a ceasefire in Gaza

At the Angelus on Sunday, 5th November, the Holy Father made the following appeal for peace:

"I continue to think about the serious situation in Palestine and in Israel where many, many people have lost their lives. In God's name, I beg you to stop: cease using weapons! I hope that avenues will be pursued so that an escalation of the conflict might be absolutely avoided, so that the wounded can be rescued and help might get to the population of Gaza where the humanitarian situation is extremely serious. May the hostages be freed immediately. There are also many children among them - may they return to their families! Yes, let's think of the children, of all the children affected by this war, as well as in Ukraine and by other conflicts: this is how their future is being killed. Let us pray that there might be the strength to say, 'enough'. "

In recent days, Pope Francis also held phone calls with the Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi (5 November), the Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas (2 November), Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (26 October), and with US President Joe Biden (22 October).