The Pope’s appeal

A white dove, symbol of peace flies above the destruction.

Pope Francis last Sunday issued another heart-felt appeal for peace. In his Angelus appeal, he told the people gathered in St. Peter’s square: Dear brothers and sisters,

Once more my thoughts turn to what is happening in Israel and Palestine. I am very concerned, grieved. I pray and I am close to all those who are suffering:  the hostages, the wounded, the victims and their relatives. I think of the serious humanitarian situation in Gaza and I am saddened that the Anglican hospital and the Greek-Orthodox parish have also been hit in recent days. I renew my appeal for spaces to be opened, for humanitarian aid to continue to arrive, and for the hostages to be freed. War, any war that there is in the world – I also think of tormented Ukraine – is a defeat. War is always a defeat; it is a destruction of human fraternity. Brothers, stop! Stop!

(The number of fatalities from this war is up to 6,000 – that is twice the number of victims of September 1, 2001. 2,000 of them are babies and young children!)