Pope Urges Hamas to Immediately Release Hostages

Pope Francis, the leader of the world's Catholics, called for the immediate release of individuals taken hostage by Hamas during its most serious attack on Israel in the past fifty years on Wednesday, October 11. According to the Associated Press, the Pope expressed that he is following the events in Israel and the Palestinian territories with 'pain and anxiety,' noting 'many dead and injured.' He further stated that he prays for those who have seen 'a day of celebration turn into a day of mourning.' The Pope remarked, 'Anyone who is attacked has the right to defend themselves. However, I am very concerned about the complete siege that Palestinians in Gaza are living under, where there are also many innocent victims.' Hamas, the militant group backed by the Islamic Republic, launched an attack on Israeli territory on Saturday, October 7, resulting in over a thousand deaths and more than 2,200 injuries. In response to these attacks, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared war on Hamas. In recent days, hundreds of locations in the Gaza Strip, which Israel claims are linked to Hamas, have been bombed. Jake Sullivan, the National Security Advisor at the White House, stated on Tuesday, October 10, during a press conference that 'according to our information, at least 20 American citizens have gone missing following Hamas's attacks on Israel, but it is still unclear how many of these citizens are being held hostage by Hamas, and the disappearance of these individuals does not necessarily mean they have been taken hostage.' Biden remarked that Hamas is worse than ISIS and 'bloodthirsty,' asserting that the U.S. stands behind Israel. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights condemned the mass killings in Israel by Hamas, and the UN reported that approximately 200,000 people have been displaced in Gaza.