Vatican City – Pope Francis has expressed his concerns about the end of the humanitarian pause in Gaza, emphasizing the negative consequences it brings. Speaking after his Sunday Angelus gathering, the Pope lamented the resumption of attacks, indicating that it leads to death, destruction, and misery, as reported by Vatican News.
According to Philippines News Agency, the pontiff recalled that the pause had allowed for the release of several hostages, but noted that many people in Gaza are still lacking basic necessities. Pope Francis expressed hope for a quick ceasefire agreement between the parties involved and urged them to seek solutions other than military actions, advocating for courageous steps towards peace. The Israeli army resumed bombings in the Gaza Strip early Friday, ending a week-long humanitarian pause with Hamas. Since October 7, more than 15,200 Palestinians, predominantly children and women, have been killed in Israeli attacks following a cross-border attack by Hamas. The official death toll in Israel stands at 1,200.