Pope Francis’ appeal to stop the war in the Middle East in his Christmas speech is serious: “I ask that military operations cease”

Pope Francis reported it on Monday your Christmas message “THE desperate humanitarian situation” of the Palestinians of Gaza, and called for the release of hostages held by Hamas and a ceasefire between the Islamist movement and Israel.

“I renew an urgent appeal for the release of those still held hostage. I demand that military operations cease, with its dramatic consequences of innocent civilian victims, and that the desperate humanitarian situation be remedied by allowing aid to arrive”, the 87-year-old Argentine pontiff said from the Vatican in his traditional “urbi et orbi” blessingto the city of Rome and to the world.

“That violence and hatred must not continue to be fueled, but that a solution to the Palestinian question is found, through sincere and persevering dialogue between the parties, supported by a strong political will and the support of the international community”, the Holy Father also stated, in a message in which he underlined the slogan “no to war, yes to peace”.

In front of St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican, the bishop of Rome, in his speech in Italian, referred to the “martyr” people of Syria, and called for peace for Ukraineas we approach the second anniversary of the Russian invasion that began in February 2022.

Addressing the “American continent”, Francis launched an appeal to leaders “to find adequate solutions that lead to overcoming social and political disagreements, fight against forms of poverty that offend the dignity of people, to resolve inequalities and to address the painful phenomenon of migration.