Pope Francis waves from the window of the apostolic palace overlooking St. Peter's square during the weekly Angelus prayer on Oct. 29, 2023 in The Vatican. (Credit: Tiziana Fabit/AFP)
VATICAN CITY — Israelis and Palestinians face "pain and mourning" over the Christmas period as the war in the Gaza Strip rages on, Pope Francis said on Tuesday, calling for prayers and "tangible aid" for the devastated enclave.
"For the inhabitants of the Holy Land, a #Christmas of pain and mourning looms. We do not want to leave them alone. May we stand by them in prayer and tangible aid ..." Francis wrote on social media platform X.
Israel's campaign to eradicate Hamas militants behind an Oct. 7 attack has left Gaza in ruins, brought widespread hunger and homelessness, and killed nearly 20,000 Gazans, the enclave's health ministry says.
Francis has called several times for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and for the release of all hostages taken by Hamas.
On Sunday, he suggested Israel was using "terrorism" tactics in the Palestinian enclave, deploring the reported killing by the Israeli military of two Christian women who had taken refuge in a Catholic church complex.
At his weekly blessing, Francis referred to a statement about an incident on Saturday by the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, the Catholic authority in the Holy Land.
The Patriarchate said an Israel army "sniper" killed the two women, whom the pope named as Nahida Khalil Anton and her daughter Samar, as they walked to a convent of nuns in the compound of the Holy Family Parish.
The Patriarchate statement said seven other people were shot and wounded as they tried to protect others.
"I continue to receive very grave and painful news from Gaza," Francis said. "Unarmed civilians are the objects of bombings and shootings. And this happened even inside the Holy Family parish complex, where there are no terrorists, but families, children, people who are sick or disabled, nuns."
Francis said they were killed by "snipers" and also referred to the Patriarchate's statement that a convent of nuns of the order founded by Mother Teresa was damaged by Israeli tank fire.
"Some would say 'It is war. It is terrorism.' Yes, it is war. It is terrorism," he said.
Palestinians face "pain and mourning" over the Christmas period
as the war in the Gaza Strip rages on, Pope Francis said on
Tuesday, calling for prayers and "tangible aid" for the
devastated enclave.
"For the inhabitants of the Holy Land, a #Christmas of pain
and mourning looms. We do not want to leave them alone. May we
stand by...