Pope calls for Israel and Hamas to immediately accept hostage-ceasefire deal

A seagull flies in front of Pope Francis during his appearance at his studio's window overlooking St. Peter's Square at The Vatican, June 9, 2024 (AP Photo/Domenico Stinellis)
A seagull flies in front of Pope Francis during his appearance at his studio's window overlooking St. Peter's Square at The Vatican, June 9, 2024 (AP Photo/Domenico Stinellis)

Pope Francis calls for humanitarian aid to urgently reach Palestinians in Gaza and for Israel and Hamas to immediately accept proposals for a ceasefire and release of hostages.

Francis also thanks Jordan, which this week will host an international humanitarian aid conference for Palestinians.

“I encourage the international community to act urgently, with all means, to come to the aid of the people of Gaza, worn out by the war,” he says. “Humanitarian aid must be allowed to reach those in need, and no one can impede it.”

He recalled that Saturday marked the 10-year anniversary of a peace prayer he hosted in the Vatican gardens, attended by then-Israeli president Shimon Peres and Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas.

“This meeting showed that shaking hands is possible, and that to make peace, you need courage — much more courage than to make war,” he says.

Francis threw his support behind ceasefire proposals and said he hoped the terms would be quickly accepted by both sides, even though he acknowledged negotiations “are not easy.”

“I hope that the peace proposals on all fronts that have been presented and for the release of hostages will be accepted immediately for the sake of the Palestinians and Israelis,” he says.

US President Joe Biden announced last month what he described as an Israeli proposal for a hostage-ceasefire deal. Hamas has not yet formally responded to the proposal, but officials in the terror group have reiterated their insistence that any agreement must guarantee an end to the war, a demand Israel has repeatedly ruled out.

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