Pope Francis in St. Peter's Square on Nov. 8. Photo: Grzegorz Galazka/Archivio Grzegorz Galazka/Mondadori Portfolio via Getty Images
Pope Francis on Sunday reiterated his calls for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war and more humanitarian aid to Gaza.
Why it matters: Francis' continued calls for peace and that the hostages be freed come as the war enters its 36th day.
What he's saying: "I am close to all those who are suffering, Palestinians and Israelis. I embrace them in this dark moment, and I pray for them a lot," Francis said after his Angelus prayers at St. Peter's Square on Sunday.
- "May the weapons be stopped: they will never lead to peace, and may the conflict not widen! Enough! Enough, brothers!" Francis said.
- Francis asked that "far more humanitarian aid be allowed to reach that stricken population" and called for the hostages to be freed.
- "Every human being is sacred, is precious in the eyes of God, and has the right to live in peace," Francis told the crowd.
- "Let us not lose hope: let us pray and work tirelessly so that the sense of humanity may prevail over hardness of heart," he said.
Zoom out: As of Friday, more than 11,000 Palestinians in Gaza have been killed amid Israel's heavy bombardment and ground operation, according to the Ministry of Health in Hamas-run Gaza.
- About 1,200 people in Israel were killed in Hamas' Oct. 7 terrorist attack, according to Israeli officials.