Gaza Conflict: Pope Francis urges end to Israel-Hamas war

Pope Francis, who had been ill with bronchitis, appeared to be getting better on Sunday and made an appeal for an end to the Palestinian conflict.

The 87-year-old pope assigned an assistant to make a speech at a ceremony on Saturday. He also made a quick visit to a hospital in Rome on Wednesday, claiming to have "a bit of cold" when he skipped reading at his weekly audience.

"Each day I carry in my heart with pain the suffering of the populations in Palestine and Israel due to the ongoing hostilities, thousands of dead, injured, displaced," Francis said, speaking by himself with a clear voice at the Angelus prayer in Rome.

"Do you really think you can build a better world in this way? Do you really think you will achieve peace? Enough please! Let us all say enough please! Stop!" Francis said

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Pope Francis has experienced several health problems lately.

Due to influenza and lung irritation, he had to postpone his trip to Dubai for the COP28 climate conference at the beginning of December.

He was unable to finish a speech in January because of "a touch of bronchitis".

(With agency inputs)