VATICAN CITY (RNS) — Pope Francis and Catholic leaders voiced sorrow and concern over the sudden outbreak of violence in the Holy Land on Saturday and asked for peace and diplomacy to be restored in the region.“I am following apprehensively and sorrowfully what is happening in Israel where the violence has exploded even more ferociously, causing hundreds of deaths and casualties,” said Francis during his weekly Angelus prayer on Sunday (Oct. 8).
While saying he held close in prayer those experiencing “hours of terror and anguish,” the pope stressed that war and terrorism only leads to further bloodshed. He pointed to the many conflicts that are occurring in the world, including in Ukraine, and made an appeal for peace.
“May the attacks and weaponry cease. Please!” he said. “War is a defeat! Every war is a defeat! Let us pray that there be peace in Israel and in Palestine.”
On Oct. 7, Palestinian Hamas militants launched a massive attack on Israel leading to hundreds of deaths and leaving many more wounded. The missile attacks and incursions into Israeli territory occurred as Jews celebrated the holiday Simchat Torah, when …
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