Pope Francis Condemns Gaza War, Calls for Ceasefire

Pope Francis deplored a "hatred" sowed by the war between Israel and Hamas militants in Gaza that could incite further violence among "future generations", reiterating his calls for a ceasefire and the release of Israeli hostages.

"All this suffering, the brutality of war, the violence it unleashes and the hatred it sows even among future generations should convince us all that every war leaves our world worse than it was before," Francis said.

His comments marked the 10th anniversary of a call for peace in the Holy Land by Israel's former president Shimon Peres and Mahmud Abbas, president of the Palestinian Authority, at a Vatican meeting in June 2014.

"I think of all who suffer in Israel and Palestine: Christians, Jews and Muslims. I think of how urgent it is that from the rubble of Gaza a decision to stop the weapons will finally arise, and therefore I ask that there be a ceasefire," he said in a statement released by the Vatican.

"I think of the families and of the Israeli hostages and ask that they be released as soon as possible. I think of the Palestinian population and ask that they be protected and receive all necessary humanitarian aid", he said.

Efforts to mediate a first ceasefire in the Gaza conflict since a week-long pause in November appear to have stalled, only a week after US President Joe Biden offered a new roadmap.

Militants also took 251 hostages, 120 of whom remain in Gaza, including 41 the army says are dead.

Israel's retaliatory military offensive has killed at least 36,731 people in Gaza, also mostly civilians, according to the Hamas-run territory's health ministry.