Pope Releases Urgent Message On War In Israel

The Pope recently released an urgent message on the war in Israel.

In an official post on X the Pope wrote I continue to follow with great sorrow what is happening in Israel and Palestine. I renew my appeal for the freeing of the hostages and I strongly ask that children, the sick, the elderly, women, and all civilians not be made victims of the conflict.

He continued “Humanitarian law is to be respected, especially in Gaza. Please, let no more innocent blood be shed, neither in the Holy Land nor in Ukraine, nor in any other place! Enough! Wars are always a defeat, always!”

The Pope’s message wasn’t received by many, take a look:

Israeli foreign minister criticizes Pope Francis over the statement below calling for "no more innocent blood to be shed."

Eli Cohen says the statement, which also said "humanitarian law should be respected in Gaza," was "unacceptable." https://t.co/edvP2KXO3q

— Citizen Free Press (@CitizenFreePres) October 15, 2023

Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen made a phone call to British Archbishop Paul Gallagher Sunday evening to protest the language used by Pope Francis in his noontime Angelus address.https://t.co/ScPIeg3nR7

— Crux (@Crux) October 16, 2023

I continue to follow with great sorrow what is happening in Israel and Palestine. I renew my appeal for the freeing of the hostages and I strongly ask that children, the sick, the elderly, women, and all civilians not be made victims of the conflict.

— Pope Francis (@Pontifex) October 15, 2023

Humanitarian law is to be respected, especially in Gaza. Please, let no more innocent blood be shed, neither in the Holy Land nor in Ukraine, nor in any other place! Enough! Wars are always a defeat, always!

— Pope Francis (@Pontifex) October 15, 2023

Per Times of Israel:

Foreign Minister Eli Cohen has strong words for the Vatican, telling the Holy See’s Secretary for Relations with States Paul Gallagher that Israel “expects the Vatican to come out with a clear and unequivocal condemnation of the murderous terrorist actions of Hamas terrorists who harmed women, children and the elderly for the sole fact that they are Jews and Israelis.”

“It is unacceptable that you put out a statement expressing worry primarily for Gazan civilians while Israel is burying 1,300 who were murdered,” says Cohen, according to the Foreign Ministry.

Catholic officials have had a range of reactions to the October 7 massacre.

“I follow with apprehension and sorrow what is happening in Israel,” said Pope Francis the day after the attack. “I express my solidarity with the relatives of the victims, and I pray for all those who are experiencing hours of terror and anguish.”

But the Latin Patriarchate in Jerusalem put out a statement as the fighting was still raging last Saturday that “the operation launched from Gaza and the reaction of the Israeli Army are bringing us back to the worst period of our recent history. The too many casualties and tragedies, which both Palestinians and Israeli families have to deal with, will create more hatred and division, and will destroy more and more any perspective of stability.”

Pope Francis on Sunday called for humanitarian corridors to help those under siege in Gaza and again appealed for the release of hostages held by the militant Islamist group Hamas. https://t.co/f9gDHDpNkV https://t.co/4HkwWGClnQ

— Brad Porcellato (@BradPorcellato) October 16, 2023

Per Newsweek:

Pope Francis on Sunday called for humanitarian corridors to help Palestinians who are under siege in Gaza as the Israel-Hamas war continues.

During his Angelus prayer in St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City, Francis said humanitarian law must be respected, “especially in Gaza where it is urgent and necessary to ensure humanitarian corridors and to come to the aid of the entire population.”

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On October 7, Hamas led the deadliest militant attack in Israel’s history. Israel then launched its heaviest ever airstrikes on Gaza, a long-blockaded territory with about 2.3 million Palestinian residents. The Gaza Health Ministry said 2,329 Palestinians have been killed since the fighting erupted, according to The Associated Press. More than 1,300 Israelis have been killed, the agency said.

Israel has cut off supplies of food, fuel, electricity and medicine into Gaza and ordered more than a million people to evacuate to the south ahead of a looming ground offensive.