Pope urges release of all Hamas hostages, concerned by Gaza siege

VATICAN CITY – Pope Francis on Wednesday called on the militant Islamist group Hamas to release all hostages it captured during its weekend attack on Israel, while expressing grave concerns about the

“total” Israeli siege imposed on Gaza

.

“I pray for those families who saw a feast day turn into a day of mourning, and I ask that the hostages be immediately released,” he said during his weekly audience.

Referring to

Israel’s response to Hamas

, Pope Francis said: “It is the right of those who are attacked to defend themselves, but I am very worried by the total siege in which Palestinians in Gaza live, where there have also been many innocent victims.”

“Terrorism and extremism do not help reach a solution to the conflict between the Israelis and Palestinians, but fuel hatred, violence, revenge and only make both sides suffer,” he added.

“The Middle East does not need war but peace, a peace built on justice, dialogue and the courage of fraternity.”

The death toll from five days of ferocious fighting between Hamas and Israel rose sharply overnight as Israel kept up its bombardment of Gaza on Wednesday.

In Israel, the death toll from Saturday’s shock cross-border assault by Hamas militants rose to 1,200, making it the deadliest attack in the country’s 75-year history.

Meanwhile, Gaza officials reported more than 900 people killed as Israel pounded the territory with air strikes. REUTERS, AFP