Pope Francis on Sunday urged Israeli and Palestinian authorities to make greater efforts to seek dialogue following recent conflicts in the region.
Speaking to tens of thousands of people in St. Peter's Square for his Sunday blessing, Francis said violence was "killing the future" for both.
The pope talked about the recent incidents and said that he was concerned about the increase of violence in the past few months.
"Violence kills the future, interrupting the lives of the youngest and weakening the hopes for peace. Let us pray for these young people who died and for their families, especially for their mothers," he said.
"I hope that Israeli and Palestinian authorities take the search for dialogue to heart in a greater way, building reciprocal trust, without which there will never be a solution for peace in the Holy Land."
