Despite facing double pneumonia and being in critical condition, Pope Francis has continued a tradition of making nightly calls to the only Catholic parish in the Gaza Strip to offer support and prayer. Catholic Palestinians in Gaza are now offering their own prayers for the Pope’s recovery, highlighting the bond between Francis and the Palestinian church during the war in the region. Despite his illness, the Pope has shown a slight improvement and has resumed work from his hospital bed, including calling the pastor of the Gaza parish. Francis has been outspoken in condemning the violence in Gaza and has criticized Israel’s military campaign, calling the humanitarian situation there “very serious and shameful.” The Pope has also expressed concern over incidents of violence at the Holy Family parish in Gaza, including the shooting of a mother and her daughter in December 2023. With tensions high between Israel and Hamas, fears have grown regarding the future of the ceasefire deal. Israel has delayed the release of Palestinian prisoners and has increased operations in the occupied West Bank. Despite these challenges, Pope Francis continues to pray for peace and remains connected to the community in Gaza through his calls to the Holy Family parish.
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