Pope Francis of the Roman Catholic Church, in his annual Easter speech, mourned the victims of the ongoing conflicts in the Gaza Strip, Ukraine, and other countries, and once again called for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip as soon as possible.
Pope Francis gave a speech on the 31st to the assembled faithful from the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica after holding an Easter Mass celebrating the Resurrection of Christ at the Vatican.
``My thoughts are with the many victims of conflicts around the world, including in Israel, Palestine, and Ukraine,'' he said, calling for humanitarian assistance, the release of hostages, and an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. , renewed calls between Russia and Ukraine for the return of all prisoners of war.
"We must not overlook the serious consequences that fighting continues to have on civilians, especially children, who are already in extreme situations. War is always foolish and there are no winners. It is not weapons that build peace, but those that are offered. "Hands and open hearts."
In a media interview published last month, Pope Francis said regarding the situation in Ukraine, ``The strongest person is the one who thinks about the people and has the courage to negotiate and raise a white flag,'' and the Ukrainian side expressed displeasure and called the Holy See. However, there was no mention of this in his speech that day.