Pope Francis renews call for release of hostages

Pope Francis on Sunday renewed his call for the release of Israeli hostages held by Gaza's militant Hamas rulers and called for humanitarian corridors to help those under siege in Gaza.

“I continue to follow with much sorrow what is happening in Israel and Palestine,” Francis said during his Sunday’s Angelus prayer in St Peter’s Square. “I think back to the many people, especially the little ones and the elderly.” The Pope reiterated his appeal for the release of scores of Israeli hostages snatched during Hamas' deadly incursion into southern Israel last weekend and taken to Gaza.

“I strongly ask that the children, the elderly, women and all civilians don't become victims of the conflict,” Francis said. He added that humanitarian law must be respected, “especially in Gaza where there is an urgent need to guarantee humanitarian corridors and to rescue the entire population”.

The Pope appealed for the world not to “shed any more innocent blood, neither in the Holy Land, nor in Ukraine, nor anywhere else. Enough! Wars are always a defeat, always”. (AP)