Pope Francis meets with families of Hamas hostages, marks 6-month anniversary

Pope Francis on Monday hosted many families of the hostages taken by Hamas, marking six months since the victims were taken captive on October 7.

Monday’s encounter was the second time that Francis held an audience with the affected families, the first being on November 22.

The 87-year-old Argentinian religious leader is known for his humanitarian efforts and a renewed focus on charity since becoming head of the Catholic Church. He has long advocated for a cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas conflict, the unconditional release of hostages, and increased aid for civilians in Gaza.

As part of his diplomatic efforts, Francis also met last November with a group of Palestinians affected by the conflict.

"He was very clear about his solidarity," one relative says

Organized by the Holy See and held at the Vatican, the event featured an hour-long audience with Francis. Photos reveal the victims’ families engaging with him in his private library within the Apostolic Palace.

Each of the roughly 10 family members in the photos held a poster depicting their loved one, taken on October 7.

“He was very clear about his solidarity for the release of the hostages,” Waxman Bakshi, a relative of hostages Agah and Li-Yah Berger, told reporters after the meeting.