Despite pandemic, Pope holds public audience and asks for extension of Gaza ceasefire

Pope Francis called for an extension of the ceasefire in Gaza during a public audience on Wednesday and reiterated his demand for the release of all Hamas hostages. Despite the respiratory infection, the Pope did not miss the traditional Wednesday audience, although this time it was not in St. Peter’s Square where the biting cold wind was blowing, but in the Vatican audience hall. “I still don’t feel well,” Francesco began, “I still have the flu and my voice is not good.” Filippo Ciampanelli, Pope Francis’ official at the Secretariat of State, told The audience spoke after catechisms and greetings were read out in different languages. As the Pope explained at the beginning of the audience, this is due to an inflammation of his lungs that makes it difficult for him to speak, from which he is currently recovering and therefore, at the request of his doctors, he had to cancel a planned speech this Tuesday . Head to Dubai to attend COP28 from December 1st to 3rd. After the papal lecture, Francis asked for the ceasefire to continue. He said: “Please continue to pray for the serious situation in Israel and Palestine. May peace, peace! I hope that the ceasefire in Gaza will continue so that all hostages are released and basic humanitarian supplies continue to be received.” He also mentioned Hundreds of people have sought refuge in the Gaza Strip’s only Catholic diocese. “I heard from the churches there that there was no water or bread; the people were suffering. It was ordinary people who suffered, the townspeople. It was not those who started the war who suffered,” he warned. In his appeal, the pope also asked people not to divert attention from the tragedy that has occurred in Ukraine for nearly two years, as attacks by Russian troops continue and the number of victims continues to increase. According to UNICEF, approximately 1,780 children have died since February 2022. “We ask for peace, and when we talk about peace, let us not forget the dear people of Ukraine, who are suffering and are still at war,” he said. Before ending the public audience, the pope also attended an Italian circus Circus performances by some of the artists of the Festival of Geniuses, which takes place in Rome from November 30 to December 4.