Pope Francis called for the respect of the ceasefire declared in the Gaza Strip and for the rapid delivery of humanitarian aid to the population.

Vásquez was most recently selected by Francis to oversee the Diocese of Tyler, also in Texas, after he dismissed its former bishop, Joseph Strickland, who had openly accused the pope of being a heretic and called into question the validity of his leadership.

Pope Francis expressed the hope that the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas that came into effect on Sunday, Jan. 19, “would be respected immediately by all the parties [involved]” and would lead to “the release of all the hostages” and the rapid provision of urgently needed humanitarian aid to the population of Gaza.

Pope Francis thanked the negotiators of the peace deal between Israel and Hamas in an interview on Sunday, saying, “Peace takes courage.”

He thanked both Trump and Biden, as well as Qatar and Egypt. The Pope's first words of gratitude were directed towards the key mediators who, in recent weeks, have worked tirelessly to broker

ROME (Reuters) - Rome's chief Jewish rabbi on Thursday sharply criticised Pope Francis over the pontiff's recent ramping up of criticism against Israel's military campaign in Gaza, in an unusually forceful speech during an annual Catholic-Jewish dialogue event.

VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis on Thursday stepped up his recent criticism of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, calling the humanitarian situation in the Palestinian enclave “very serious and shameful.” In a yearly address to diplomats delivered on ...

In a yearly address to diplomats delivered on his behalf by an aide, Francis appeared to reference deaths caused by winter cold in Gaza, where there is almost no electricity.

If this is true it is a disgrace because it makes the poor unfortunate who have nothing pay the price of imbalance. This is not how things are solved,” the pope said on Italian TV.

Expressing gratitude to mediators, the pontiff also urged a boost in humanitarian aid as well as the return of hostages

Francis' prayer for the 47th president followed a Sunday interview with Italian media in which he called Trump's proposed immigration policy 'a disgrace.'

Pope Francis has stepped up his recent criticisms of Israel ’s military campaign in Gaza, calling the humanitarian situation in the Palestinian enclave “shameful”. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.