Pope Francis said he shared the 'indescribable painâ? of the families of three Israeli teens killed in the West Bank, as well as all the 'pain of all people stricken by the consequences of hatred.â? He also asked God 'to inspire in all thoughts of compassion and peace.â?
The three students, Eyal Yifrah, Gilad Shaar and Naftali Fraenkel, disappeared on June 12 as they hitchhiked in the southern portion of the West Bank. The Israeli Army found their bodies on Monday, June 30, near the city of Hebron.
In a statement, the Vatican condemned the 'terrible and dramaticâ? deaths, referring to it as 'despicable and unacceptable.â? It said it was a 'very serious obstacle to that peace to which we must continue untiringly to commit ourselves and for which we must pray.â?
The Pope also called for peace and measured responses, because 'violence calls for more violence and feeds the mortal circle of hatred.â?
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