The following excerpt captures Pope Francis’ response to a question regarding the risk of the Gaza conflict spilling over into the West Bank, the recent explosion in Gaza that killed 18 people, including some UN workers, and the possibility of the Holy See playing a mediating role to achieve a ceasefire and lasting peace. These remarks were made aboard the flight from Singapore to Rome, as the Pope concluded his Apostolic visit to Asia and Oceania:
_“The Holy See is working on it. Let me tell you something: I call Gaza daily; there’s a parish there, and within its school are 600 people—Christians and Muslims—living as brothers and sisters. They tell me horrible stories, difficult things._
_I can’t say whether this war is excessively bloody, but when you see the bodies of children killed, when you hear that schools are bombed because fighters might be inside, it’s horrifying. It’s horrible, it’s horrible._
_It’s sometimes said that this is a defensive war, but sometimes I believe that it’s a war… too much, too much. I apologize for saying this, but I don’t see steps being taken toward peace._
_For example, in Verona, I had a very beautiful experience. A Jewish man, whose wife had died in a bombing, and a man from Gaza, whose daughter had died, both spoke about peace, embraced each other, and gave a testimony of fraternity._
_I will say this: fraternity is more important than killing one another. Fraternity, shaking hands. In the end, whoever wins the war will find a great defeat. War is always a defeat, always, without exception. And we must not forget that. This is why everything done for peace is important. And I want to say something, this may be a bit of me getting involved in politics: I am very, very grateful to the King of Jordan. He is a man of peace. King Abdullah is a good man.”
