Pope Francis met with relatives of hostages taken by Hamas on Oct. 7, commemorating the six-month anniversary of the attack in southern Israel with an hour-long audience. The Vatican shared photos of the encounter, depicting relatives of several hostages seated in a semicircle in front of Francis in his private library in the Apostolic Palace. Each individual held a poster displaying a photo and the name of their loved one.
This meeting marked the second occasion where Francis engaged with the hostages' relatives. On Nov. 22, he had met with a delegation of Israelis and subsequently with a delegation of Palestinians whose family members had been affected by the prolonged conflict in the Middle East.
Throughout these encounters, Francis has consistently advocated for the immediate release of the hostages, called for a cease-fire in Gaza, and emphasized the urgent need for humanitarian aid to reach distressed Palestinians.
Ashley Waxman Bakshi, a relative of hostages Agah and Li-Yah Berger, described the audience as 'very powerful' for the families. She mentioned that Francis expressed clear solidarity for the release of the hostages during the meeting.
