Pope Francis, who died Monday following long battles with numerous health issues, advocated for the Israeli hostages held by Hamas since October 7, 2023, meeting with freed hostages and their families, and repeatedly speaking out on their behalf.
The pope, who has been pontiff since 2013, met with freed hostages, families of hostages, including Rachel Goldberg-Polin, and with delegations of advocates for the hostages over the 18 months since October 7.
As early as October 2023, the late Pope had highlighted the well-being of the hostages in his remarks on October 7, 2023, and on the ensuing Israel-Hamas war.
“I pray for those families who saw a feast day turn into a day of mourning, and I ask that the hostages be immediately released,” he said in October in his second round of remarks since the outbreak of the war.
Families of hostages had turned to the pope and asked him to exert his influence since soon after the outbreak of the war.
'Solidarity for hostages' release'
After a meeting between the pope and families of hostages in April 2024, hostage family member Ashley Waxman Bakshi said he was "very clear about his solidarity for the release of the hostages."
At a meeting in November of last year, Adi Shoham and her young children Naveh and Yahel, all freed from Hamas captivity in November and whose husband and father Tal was then still held captive, met with the pope.
In September of last year, the pope again called for the release of the hostages.
"I pray for the victims and continue to be close to all the families of the hostages," he said.
JACKIE HAJDENBERG/JTA and ZVIKA KLEIN contributed to this report.