Pope Francis slams world's 'shameful inability' to stop Israel-Hamas war

By Joshua McElwee

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Pope Francis criticised on Monday what he called the "shameful inability" of the international community to end the war in the Middle East, one year after Hamas' devastating attack on Israel.

"A year ago, the fuse of hatred was lit; it did not sputter, but exploded in a spiral of violence," he said in an open letter to Catholics in the region.

"It seems that few people care about what is most needed and what is most desired: dialogue and peace," he wrote. "Violence never brings peace. History proves this, yet years and years of conflict seem to have taught us nothing."

Francis, who has also made Monday a day of fasting and prayers for peace for Catholics globally, has spoken more openly in recent weeks about the Hamas-Israel conflict, and has become more vocal in his criticism of Israel's military campaign.

On Sept. 29, the 87-year-old pontiff criticised Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon that killed Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah as well as non-combatants, suggesting the airstrikes went "beyond morality".

Earlier in September, the pope called Israel's actions in Lebanon "unacceptable" and urged the international community to do everything possible to halt the fighting.

In his letter on Monday, Francis directly addressed Gazans: "I am with you, the people of Gaza, long embattled and in dire straits. You are in my thoughts and prayers daily," he wrote.

"I am with you, who have been forced to leave your homes, to abandon schooling and work and to find a place of refuge from the bombing. ... I am with you, who are afraid to look up for fear of fire raining down from the skies," he said.

(Reporting by Joshua McElwee; Editing by Crispian Balmer and Gareth Jones)