Pope Francis called on the international community to end the war in Ukraine, to stop the fire in Gaza, and to resolve the conflict between Palestine and Israel with "two states", SIR (Servizio Informazione Religiosa) reported.
The Pope also said in his speech that "there is no true peace if religious freedom is not guaranteed, which implies respect for individuals and the possibility of publicly demonstrating one's faith and belonging to a given community".
He also paid special attention to Syria in his speech. "I hope that the territorial integrity, the unity of the Syrian people and the necessary constitutional reforms are not compromised by anyone, and that the international community helps Syria to be a land of peaceful coexistence, where all Syrians, including Christians, can feel fully citizens and participate in the common good of this dear nation."
Pope Francis has stepped up his criticism of Israel's military operation in the Gaza Strip, calling the humanitarian situation in the Palestinian enclave "very serious and shameful," Reuters reported.
In his annual address to diplomats, which was read out by an aide, Francis appeared to refer to deaths caused by the winter cold in the Gaza Strip, where there is almost no electricity.
"We cannot in any way accept the bombing of peaceful citizens“, the statement said. “We cannot accept that children freeze to death because hospitals are destroyed or the energy system is destroyed”, added Pope Francis. The pope was present during the address but asked an aide to read it as he was recovering from a cold, Reuters noted.