Pope Francis Warns of 'Mountain of Dead' Amid War in Gaza

Pope Francis on Wednesday called for peace in the Middle East, and "not with a mountain of dead on each side."

The pontiff's comments come as Israeli officials have tentatively agreed to a temporary ceasefire after approving a deal with Hamas late Tuesday night that calls for the release of hostages being held by the Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip.

In a video message posted on X, formerly Twitter, Francis said that what is happening to Israelis and Palestinians is "very painful," and called for peace.

"The Palestinian people and the people of Israel have the right to live in peace: two fraternal peoples," the pope said. "Let us #PrayTogether for peace in the Holy Land, so that disputes may be resolved through dialogue and negotiations, and not with a mountain of dead on each side."

Newsweek reached out via email on Wednesday night to representatives of Pope Francis for comment.

Francis, also on Wednesday, met separately with relatives of Israeli hostages in Gaza and Palestinians living through the war, the Associated Press (AP) reported.

After the meetings, Francis addressed the crowd outside for his weekly audience.

"Here we've gone beyond war. This isn't war anymore, this is terrorism," Francis said. "Please, let us go ahead with peace. Pray for peace, pray a lot for peace."

Francis has been vocal about calling for an end to the war in the Middle East as well as in Ukraine. While the pope has tried to maintain the Vatican's typical diplomatic neutrality in global conflicts, he has posted numerous times condemning the bloodshed.

On October 25, weeks after Hamas led the deadliest Palestinian militant attack on Israel in history, with Israel subsequently launching its heaviest-ever airstrike barrage on Gaza, the pope posted to X: "I am always thinking of the serious situation in Palestine and Israel. I encourage the release of the hostages and the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza. I continue to pray for those suffering and hope for paths of peace in the Middle East and other regions wounded by war."

Israeli officials estimate that Hamas and allied Palestinian factions took roughly 242 captives of various nationalities amid the attack.

As of Tuesday, more than 12,700 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, AP reported, citing the Palestinian Health Ministry. Officials there say roughly 4,000 people are missing.

Francis also posted Monday on X, saying that "no war is worth the tears of children."