he met Pope Francesco Separately today, Wednesday, relatives of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel, and families of Israeli prisoners held by Palestinian resistance factions in Gaza.
During the meetings, the Pope stressed that the conflict in Palestine had gone beyond war to become terrorism.
Pope Francesco said that “both sides are suffering” as a result of the war, which has reached the point of terrorism, without clarifying who he describes as terrorist.
He called for prayer so that the two sides would not go on in anger that would eventually kill everyone, he said.
The Vatican announced last week that the Pope hoped to express his “spiritual sympathy” during the two meetings, stressing their humanitarian nature.
Urgent call
Early this November, the Pope of the Vatican issued an urgent appeal to stop the war in… Gaza stripHe called for the provision of humanitarian aid and assistance to the injured in order to alleviate the situation, which he described as “very dangerous.”
Last October 13, the Vatican also offered to mediate the release of Israeli prisoners held by the Islamic Resistance Movement (agitation) in the Gaza Strip and to pave the way for peace.
The two meetings coincide with the announcement – at dawn on Wednesday – of a 4-day humanitarian truce agreement in the Gaza Strip and a prisoner exchange between Israel and Hamas.
The truce stipulates the release of at least 50 civilian prisoners held by Hamas in exchange for the release of at least 150 Palestinians detained in occupation prisons.
