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Pope Francis: Since the outbreak of the war, the leader has repeatedly called for the release of the hostages kidnapped by Hamas
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Vatican Media / ipa-agency.net / Independent Photo Agency Int. / IMAGO
Pope Francis has once again commented on the conflict between Israel and the radical Islamic Hamas: In a letter, he condemned the growing anti-Semitism since the current escalation began. “We Catholics are deeply concerned about the terrible increase in attacks against Jews around the world,” Francis said in the letter published by the Vatican.
In the letter to his "Jewish brothers and sisters in Israel," Francis explained that the war had created "an attitude of division in world public opinion." This manifests itself, among other things, in anti-Semitism and anti-Judaism. In the letter, Francis called for prayers “especially for the return of hostages.”
Every war is a defeat for everyone
Since the war broke out in October, Francis has repeatedly called in public appearances for the release of the Israeli hostages kidnapped by Hamas. The Vatican said in November that the release of the hostages was the key to ending the war.
The 86-year-old Argentine also often reminds us of the suffering of the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. Every war is a defeat for everyone.
The war was triggered on October 7th by the attack on Israel by Hamas, which the USA and the EU classified as a terrorist organization. According to a count by the AFP news agency based on Israeli data, more than 1,160 people were killed and around 250 others were kidnapped as hostages in the attacks by the radical Islamic Palestinian organization.
Since then, Israel has taken massive military action in the Gaza Strip. The declared goal is the destruction of Hamas. According to recent figures from the Hamas-controlled Ministry of Health, which cannot be independently verified, more than 27,200 people have been killed in the Gaza Strip since the war began.
spr/AFP/dpa