Pope Francis calls for immediate ceasefire in Gaza: Video
Pope Francis has made an urgent plea for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, expressing deep concern over the escalating conflict between Palestine and Israel.
"Once again, with concern, I turn my thoughts to the conflict in Palestine and Israel, which risks spreading to other Palestinian cities," the Pope said, referencing the West Bank.
He called for the continuation of negotiations, the release of hostages, and immediate assistance to the population in Gaza, where diseases like polio are spreading rapidly.
The Pope also emphasised the need for peace in the Holy Land, particularly in Jerusalem.
"The Holy City should be a place of encounters, where Christians, Jews, and Muslims feel respected and welcomed, and where no one questions the status quo of their respective holy sites," he stated.
This appeal comes as Israel announced on Sunday that its troops had found six dead hostages in a Gaza tunnel. Meanwhile, a "shooting attack" in the occupied West Bank claimed the lives of three Israeli officers, according to Israeli police. The violence in the West Bank, which is separated from Gaza by Israeli territory, has intensified following a large-scale Israeli military operation that has drawn international concern.
In Gaza, where the conflict has raged for nearly 11 months, "humanitarian pauses" were set to begin on Sunday to facilitate a massive polio vaccination drive, which a health official confirmed had already started.
