Pope Francis, in his strongest comments since the start of the conflict in Gaza, on Wednesday called for the release of all hostages taken by Hamas militants and said Israel has a right to defend itself.
Speaking in a sombre voice at the end of his weekly general audience to thousands of people in St. Peter’s Square, he also expressed grave concern over Israel’s siege imposed on Gaza.
“I continue to follow, with pain and apprehension, what is happening in Israel and Palestine. So many people killed, and others wounded. I pray for those families who saw a feast day turn into a day of mourning, and I ask that the hostages be immediately released,” he said.
“It is the right of those who are attacked to defend themselves, but I am very worried by the total siege in which Palestinians live in Gaza, where there have also been many innocent victims,” he said.
On Saturday, Hamas gunmen from the Gaza Strip rampaged through parts of southern Israel, in the deadliest Palestinian militant attack in Israel’s history.
Israel’s military said the death toll in Israel had reached 1,200 by Wednesday and more than 2,700 people had been wounded.
When one army fights another army, they both wear uniforms that identify them as combatants. It is clear who is fighting for one side or another.
When one army fights a terrorist organization, only one side wears uniforms, and the other side pretends that they are civilians. It is far more complicated to figure out who is from the terrorist organization.
Yes, as an American I am intimately familiar with this idea. We did just get out from occupying two countries in the past two decades.
One of the lessons we learned is that it is a mistake to think you can actually destroy a terrorist organization with military force in any kind of reasonable way. It is not a possible goal, and attempting it will make your problems worse.
Terrorist orgs don’t die. They just shapeshift and come back.