Pope Francis calls situation in Gaza 'shameful'

Pope Francis attends his weekly general audience in the Paul VI Hall, at the Vatican, Jan. 8, 2025. On Thursday, he condemned Israel's military campaign in Gaza, calling the humanitarian crisis "very serious and shameful."

Pope Francis condemned Israel\’s military campaign in Gaza on Thursday, calling the humanitarian crisis "very serious and shameful."

"We cannot in any way accept the bombing of civilians," the pope said in an address delivered on his behalf by an aide.

The pope, 88, was present for the statement but asked an aide to read it because he is recovering from a cold. The remarks were part of an address to Vatican-accredited envoys from about 180 countries.

"We cannot accept that children are freezing to death because hospitals have been destroyed or a country\’s energy network has been hit," the pope said. The pope\’s text also said he condemns antisemitism.

The war in Gaza began with the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel in which the militants killed 1,200 people and took about 250 others hostage. There are still about 100 hostages being held in Gaza, with at least one-third of them believed to be dead.

Israel\’s counteroffensive in Gaza has killed more than 46,000 Palestinians, according to the territory\’s health ministry, which does not distinguish between combatants and civilians in its count but said that more than half the victims have been women and children.

In addition to those killed, the ministry said more than 109,300 people have been injured.

Ministry reports 76 killed over 24 hours

Earlier on Thursday, Gaza\’s Health Ministry reported that 76 people have been killed in Israeli strikes across Gaza over the past 24 hours.

Among those killed were eight Palestinians killed in a house in Jabalia, the largest of Gaza\’s historic refugee camps. Nine other people, including a father and his three children, were killed in two airstrikes on two houses in central Gaza, according to health officials.

Later on Thursday, six Palestinians were killed in two separate strikes. Four of them were killed at a school sheltering displaced families near Jabalia in northern Gaza, according to medics.

Egypt, Qatar and the United States are leading efforts to try to secure a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas with the release of hostages and a surge of humanitarian aid for Palestinian civilians.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Wednesday that a deal was "very close," and that he hopes to secure an agreement before President Joe Biden\’s term ends on Jan. 20.

"I hope that we can get it over the line in the time that we have left, but if we don\’t, then the plan that President Biden put forward for a ceasefire-hostage deal will be handed over to the incoming administration," Blinken said.

The United States, United Kingdom, European Union and others have designated Hamas as a terror group.

Some information for this report came from The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters.

By：VOA