By Enyichukwu Enemanna
Pope Francis has appealed to Israeli authorities to allow for humanitarian corridors to enable the delivery of essentials to the Gaza Strip, a region that has come under heavy bombardment in retaliation for a bloody attack by Hamas in Israeli territory.
Humanitarian crisis is brewing in Gaza after Israel cut off water, food and power, insisting it would maintain the complete siege until all hostages taken by the Palestinian Islamist militant group are freed.
Israel in swift response to the killing of over 1,300 by Hamas has launched a devastating bombing campaign that has claimed over 2,300 lives in Gaza, a war that has entered 8th day.
“Humanitarian law must be respected, especially in Gaza, where it is urgent and necessary to guarantee humanitarian corridors and help the population,” said the Pope after his traditional Angelus prayer in Rome’s Saint Peter’s Square.
“I strongly urge that children, the sick, the elderly, women and all civilians should not fall victim to the conflict”, he added.
“There have already been so many deaths, please let’s not shed any more innocent blood, not in the Holy Land, not in Ukraine, not anywhere else. Enough is enough. War is always a defeat,” he said, castigating “the diabolical force of hatred, terrorism and war”.
Pope Francis also renewed his call “for the release of the hostages” kidnapped by Hamas fighters in southern Israel.
He invited “all believers to unite in prayer with the Church in the Holy Land” on Tuesday.
Israeli Defence Force (IDF) on Sunday said it was prepared for a ground invasion of Gaza after about 1.1 million residents have been evacuated.
