Pope Francis condemned the "desperate humanitarian situation" and called for an end to military operations in the Gaza Strip.

Pope Francis said in his Christmas message on Monday: “I appeal to the military operations and their horrific consequences, with innocent civilian casualties, to stop. I ask that the desperate humanitarian situation be addressed by allowing aid to arrive.”

He added to thousands of believers who gathered in St. Peter's Square in the Vatican, "Stop fueling violence and hatred, and move towards resolving the Palestinian issue, through an honest and continuous dialogue between the two parties, supported by a strong political will and the support of the international community."

In an infinite toll, the ongoing Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip since the 7th of last October has resulted in the death of 20,258 citizens and the wounding of about 53,688 citizens, more than 70% of whom are women and children.