The Pope holds his general audience despite the flu and asks to extend the ceasefire in Gaza

ROMA, 29 Nov. (EUROPA PRESS) -

Pope Francis called this Wednesday, during the general audience, for the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip to be extended and has reiterated his request for the release of all Hamas hostages.

Despite the respiratory infection, the Pontiff has not missed his traditional Wednesday audience, although this time it did not take place in St. Peter's Square, where a cold wind was blowing, but in the Vatican Audience Hall. "I still don't feel well," Francisco said at first, "I still have the flu, my voice is not good."

Francis spoke after the official of the Secretariat of State, Filippo Ciampanelli, read throughout the audience both the catechism and the greetings in the different languages.

This, as the Pontiff explained at the beginning of the audience, is due to his difficulty speaking due to the inflammation in his lungs from which he is recovering and for which this Tuesday he had to cancel, at the request of his doctors, his planned trip to Dubai from December 1 to 3 to participate in COP28.

After his catechesis, Pope Francis has asked that the ceasefire continue. "Please continue to pray for the serious situation in Israel and Palestine. Peace please, peace! I hope that the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip continues so that all hostages are released and access to essential humanitarian supplies continues" , he remarked.

He has also referred to the several hundred people who have sought refuge on the grounds of the only Catholic parish in the Gaza Strip. "I heard from the church there that there is no water or bread; the people suffer. It is the common people, the townspeople, who suffer. It is not those who wage war who suffer," he warned.

In his appeal, the Pope also asked that attention not be diverted from the tragedy that has been going on for almost two years in Ukraine, where attacks by the Russian army continue and the number of victims increases. Some 1,780 children have died since February 2022, as announced by Unicef. "We ask for peace, and when we talk about peace, let us not forget the dear Ukrainian people who are suffering so much and who are still at war," he said.

Before ending the general audience, the Pope was treated to a circus show by some of the artists participating in the Italian Circus Talent Festival, which is held in Rome from November 30 to December 4.