‘Middle East needs peace built on dialogue, courage of fraternity’: Pope Francis on Israel-Hamas war

VATICAN CITY: Referring to the Hamas attack on Israel, Pope Francis called for peace and dialogue saying that terrorism, extremism do not help in resolving a conflict.

“Terrorism and extremism do not help to reach a solution to the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians, but fuel hatred, violence, revenge, and only cause each to suffer. The Middle East needs peace built on dialogue and the courage of fraternity,” Pope Francis wrote on ‘X’ on Wednesday.

“I continue to follow with sorrow and apprehension what is happening in Israel and Palestine. So many people killed, and others injured,” National Catholic Reporter quoted the Pope at the end of his weekly general audience.

Meanwhile, the Israel Defence Force (IDF) spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan Conricus on Wednesday said that 1200 Israelis were killed and more than 2,700 wounded and emphasised that the Israeli soldiers are ready to execute the mission in Gaza.

“Four days after Hamas breached into Israel, attacked Israeli communities, murdered and massacre Israeli citizens and took dozens of Israeli hostages into Gaza. The dead toll is staggering, a 1200 dead Israelis. The overwhelming majority of them civilians and more than 2700 wounded and sadly something tells me that these are not final numbers,” he said.

The IDF spokesperson said that about 300000 soldiers have been deployed at the Gaza border and claimed that they would ensure that the Hamas will not have any military capabilities at the end of the war. In a live video posted on X, Lieutenant Colonel Conricus added,

“We have sent our inventory, armoured soldiers, our artillery cores and many other soldiers from the reserves. 300000 in numbers in different brigades and divisions and they are now close to the Gaza strip getting ready to execute the mission that Israeli government and that is to make sure that Hamas at the end of the war won’t have any military capabilities by which they can threaten or kill Israeli citizens.”

As part of the ongoing counter-offensive against Hamas, dozens of Israeli Air Force fighters struck over 200 targets in the Al-Furqan neighbourhood.

In a post shared on X, IDF stated, “Dozens of Israeli Air Force fighter jets struck over 200 targets in the Al-Furqan neighbourhood—a terrorist hotspot from which Hamas devises and executes their attacks. This is the 3rd counterstrike in the area during the last 24 hours, in which 450 targets were struck.”

Nearly 1,000 people have been killed and 5,000 others have been injured in Gaza after Israel launched a strong retaliation, CNN reported citing Gaza Health Ministry.

According to the ministry, some 950 people have been killed and 5,000 others have been injured in the strikes on Gaza, according to CNN report. (ANI)

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