Pope Francis has broken his silence over the war between Hamas and Israel.
He called on Israel and the Palestinians to find a solution at the negotiating table.
The 86-year-old Catholic pontiff strongly advocated a two-state solution, one state for Israel and one for the Palestinians.
He said, “Every war is a defeat. Nothing is solved by war. Everything is gained with peace, with dialogue.
“In war, one slap in the face provokes another. A strong one and then another stronger one, and it goes on,” Francis said.
“However, it is about two peoples who must live together.
“There is a “clever solution” for this: ‘Two peoples, two states. The Oslo Accords state: two well-limited states and Jerusalem with a special status’.”
Francis was referring to the Oslo peace process between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO), which began in 1993.