In the midst of the ongoing violence in Israel and Gaza, Pope Francis has made a heartfelt appeal, declaring, “Enough is enough,” particularly with regard to the loss of innocent lives, including children and women.
The Pontiff called for the creation of humanitarian corridors to ensure the delivery of essential supplies to the embattled Gaza Strip, which is currently facing heavy Israeli bombardment following a violent attack by Hamas, its ruling authority. Pope Francis emphasized the need to uphold humanitarian laws during these tumultuous times.
Reports have emerged of critical conditions in Gaza’s hospitals, to the point where health workers are forced to store bodies in ice cream freezer trucks due to the perilous task of moving them to hospitals. Cemeteries are said to be overflowing with the deceased.
Meanwhile, Israeli forces have been gearing up for a potential ground invasion of Gaza.
In contrast, the official news agency of the Palestinian Authority published comments by President Mahmoud Abbas criticizing Hamas for its actions, although later these references to the militant group were inexplicably removed.
Concerns have mounted over a burgeoning humanitarian crisis in Gaza, as Israel reportedly cut off access to water, food, and power, vowing to maintain a complete siege until the hostages taken by the Palestinian Islamist militant group are freed.
Over the course of eight days since Hamas gunmen carried out an attack that claimed the lives of over 1,300 Israelis, Israel has responded with a devastating bombing campaign, resulting in the loss of over 2,300 lives in Gaza.
Pope Francis, speaking after his traditional Angelus prayer in Rome’s Saint Peter’s Square, reiterated,
“Humanitarian law must be respected, especially in Gaza, where it is urgent and necessary to guarantee humanitarian corridors and aid for the population. I strongly urge that children, the sick, the elderly, women, and all civilians should not fall victim to the conflict.
“There have already been so many deaths, please let’s not shed any more innocent blood, not in the Holy Land, not in Ukraine, not anywhere else. Enough is enough. War is always a defeat.”
The Pope also renewed his call for “the release of the hostages” kidnapped by Hamas fighters in southern Israel, and invited “all believers to unite in prayer with the Church in the Holy Land” on Tuesday.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, on the other hand, has vowed to “demolish Hamas” as his military prepared to enter the Gaza Strip in search of Islamist militants, whose deadly attacks on Israeli border towns have shocked the world.
Israel has urged Gazans to evacuate southward, and hundreds of thousands have already done so. Conditions in Gaza, home to more than two million people, with about half residing in Gaza City, have deteriorated, and the safety of civilians is no longer guaranteed.
However, Hamas, the ruling group in Gaza, has instructed the people to disregard Israel’s message to move south.
With concerns of the conflict spilling over, United States Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, continues his rapid tour of Middle East states, seeking to prevent further escalation and secure the release of 126 hostages claimed to be held by Hamas.
Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi criticized Israel’s retaliatory strikes, stating that the reaction had gone beyond the right to self-defense and had transformed into collective punishment. Renewed clashes on Israel’s border with Lebanon on Sunday highlighted the dangers of regional spillover.
| ThisDay
