In a surprising move, Pope Francis met separately with relatives of Israeli hostages held in Gaza and Palestinians living through the war, sparking controversy with his use of the words "terrorism" and "genocide." The meetings took place before the Israeli-Hamas hostage deal and temporary halt in fighting was announced. During the meetings, the Pope spoke about the suffering of both Israelis and Palestinians, calling for peace and urging people to pray for an end to the violence.

However, his use of the term "genocide" to describe the situation in Gaza caused a stir among the Palestinians present. The Vatican spokesperson, Matteo Bruni, denied that the Pope used that term, but some members of the Palestinian delegation insist that he did. The Pope's comments are consistent with his previous calls for an end to the war and his concern for the Christians in Gaza.