Vatican City
AP
Pope Francis met Monday with relatives of hostages taken by Hamas on 7th October, marking the six-month anniversary of the attack in southern Israel with an hour-long audience.
Pope Francis meets with relatives of Israeli hostages being held by Hamas, at the Vatican, on Monday, 8th April, 2024. PICTURE: Vatican Media via AP.
The Vatican released photos of the encounter, showing relatives of several of the hostages sitting in a semicircle in front of Francis in his private library in the Apostolic Palace. Each one held a poster with a photo and the name of a loved one.
It was the second time Francis has met with relatives of the hostages. On 22nd November, he met with a delegation of Israelis, and then separately a delegation of Palestinians whose relatives had been harmed during the long Mideast conflict.
Francis has called for the immediate release of the hostages and a cease-fire in Gaza, and for humanitarian aid to urgently reach desperate Palestinians.
Ashley Waxman Bakshi, relative of hostages Agah and Li-Yah Berger, said the audience was “very powerful” for the families.
“He was very clear about his solidarity for the release of the hostages,” Waxman Bakshi told reporters afterward.
