The Pope Expresses His Closeness to the Suffering Israelis and Palestinians

From Vatican News:

Addressing the crowd of believers in St. Peter's Square, after Sunday's Angelus prayer, Pope Francis refers to the dire situation in Israel and Palestine and emphasizes his closeness to all those who suffer, Palestinians and Israelis. He said he remembers and prays for them every day and he sends them his "hug" in "this dark moment."

"May the fire cease: it will never lead to peace, and please let the conflict not expand! enough! Enough, brothers! In Gaza, let the wounded be rescued immediately, let civilians be protected, let more humanitarian aid reach that stricken population. May the abductees be released, including the elderly and children. Every human being, Christian, Jew, Muslim, from any nation or religion, every human being is holy, precious in God's eyes and has the right to live in peace. Let us not lose hope: let us pray and work tirelessly so that the feeling of humanity overcomes the hardness of the heart."