In his words after the Sunday Angelus prayer, from the window of his study in the Vatican Apostolic Palace and before some 20 thousand faithful and pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square, the supreme pontiff said sovereignty must be respected and guaranteed by dialogue and peace, not by hatred and war.

Francis recalled that Monday, October 7, marks the first anniversary of the beginning of the current stage in the conflict in the Middle East, after an incursion into Israeli territory by militants of the Palestinian Hamas movement against decades of occupation, and he lamented the victims, while renewing his request for the release of the hostages.

He noted, however, that since that day, as a result of the Tel Aviv attacks, the Middle East “has been plunged into an ever greater suffering” and that “these destructive military actions continue to affect the Palestinian population.”

He referred to the grave situation in Gaza and other territories, where more than 40,000 people have already died, including women, children and the elderly, and lamented that “these are mostly innocent civilians,” while emphasizing that the victims “must receive all necessary humanitarian aid.”

He also referred to the suffering of the Lebanese, victims of the Israeli bombings, and asked for prayers for them, “especially for the inhabitants of the south, forced to leave their villages.”

ef/oda/ort