Pope Francis reiterated his appeal for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza in a message on Easter Sunday read aloud by an advisor as the Pontiff, still recovering from pneumonia, was observed during a brief appearance on the main balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica.
The 88 -year -old Pope, limiting his workload due to medical orders, did not preside over Vatican Easter Mass, but appeared at the end of the event for a semiannual blessing and message known as “Urbi et orbi” (for the city and the world). He wished a good Easter to the faithful reunited.
Francisco had been intensifying criticism of the Israeli military campaign in Gaza, calling the humanitarian situation at the Palestinian enclave “very serious and shameful” in January.
In the Easter message, the pontiff said the “dramatic and deplorable” era. The Pope also asked the Palestinian militant group Hamas to release the remaining hostages and condemned what he called a “worrying” trend of anti -Semitism in the world.
“I express my proximity to the sufferings… of all the Israeli people and the Palestinian people,” the message said.
“I appeal to the parties to conflict: to declare a ceasefire, free the hostages and help a hungry people who aspire to a future of peace,” he said.
Last week, Hamas rejected an Israeli proposal to another temporary truce, requiring, instead, an agreement to end the war in exchange for liberation from hostages. He said on Saturday (19) that he had instructed the Israeli army to intensify the pressure on Hamas.
The war was triggered by the attack led by Hamas on October 7, 2023 south of Israel, in which 1,200 people were killed and 251 hostages in Gaza, according to Israeli counts.
Since then, more than 51,000 Palestinians have been killed in the Israeli offensive, local health officials. The Ministry of Health of Gaza states that 1,600 people were killed last month.
Earlier on Sunday (20), who was visiting Italy over the weekend.
The Vatican said the meeting with Vance was brief, “lasting a few minutes”, to exchange Easter greetings.
