Pope Francis met with several former hostages held by Hamas in Gaza this week, amid Israel’s ongoing war with the militant group.
Pope Francis expressed hope that both the incoming and outgoing U.S. administrations will collaborate to secure the return of those still held captive.
The Hostages
The released hostages included Yelena Troufanov, who was freed last November. However, her son, Sasha, remains in Gaza and was shown in a video released Wednesday by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad group.
“You see in the picture how my child has changed over the course of this year,” Troufanov said during a press conference in Rome on Thursday. “I am very worried about his condition, I see that he is not in a good mental state and not in a good physical state.”
She and other former hostages, along with their relatives, reiterated calls for an agreement to secure the release of those still held captive, especially with winter approaching. They voiced hope that the incoming Trump administration would collaborate with the outgoing Biden administration to advance the process.
Israel War in Gaza
The conflict began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched an attack on Israel, killing 1,200 people and kidnapping 250, with dozens still held in Gaza. Israel’s subsequent military campaign has led to over 43,000 deaths, according to Gaza health officials, who report that more than half of those killed are women and children, though their tally does not differentiate between civilians and combatants.
The war has sparked a humanitarian crisis in Gaza, pushed Israel into deeper international isolation with two global courts investigating war crimes allegations, and ignited protests across U.S. college campuses, intensifying debate over America’s role as Israel’s primary military and diplomatic ally.
“We hope that with the election of Trump, together with Biden—this is not about left and right—we hope that Biden and Trump work together now to get the hostages back before the winter,” Sharone Lifshitz, who accompanied her mother, Yocheved Lifshitz, said to the audience, after meeting with Pope Francis.
Her mother, a longtime peace activist, was released on October 23, 2023, but her father, Oded, remains in Gaza. Sharone Lifshitz, who was not taken hostage, expressed gratitude to Pope Francis for meeting with the delegation, noting that he pledged to pray for each of the hostages still in captivity.
Israel reports that Hamas is holding around 65 hostages, along with the remains of approximately 35 others who were either killed on October 7, 2023, or died while in captivity.
Pope Francis’ Stance on War
Pope Francis has sought a balanced approach in his remarks on the 2023 Hamas attack, Israel’s response, and the ensuing conflicts in Gaza and southern Lebanon. He has called for an immediate cease-fire, the release of hostages, and the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza.
Pope Francis has also suggested that Israel’s operations in Gaza and southern Lebanon are disproportionate and morally troubling. He noted that he calls a Catholic parish in Gaza daily to check on the people it is sheltering.
This article includes reporting from the Associated Press.
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