VATICAN CITY - Speaking after his weekly Angelus address from the window of his study in the Apostolic Palace, Pope Francis on Sunday spoke to the faithful gathered in St Peter's Square condemning the tragic violence taking place in Gaza at the moment, urging that the events of this week don't degenerate "into a spiral of death and destruction."

  "In the last few days violent armed clashes between in the Gaza Strip and Israel have taken hold, and risk degenerating into a spiral of death and destruction. Numerous people are injured and so many innocent are dead. Among them there are even children, and this is terrible and unacceptable. Their death is a sign that we don't want to build the future, but destroy it," he said.

  Since this latest spate of violence began on Monday, at least 181 people have died in Gaza, with over 1,200 injured, according to officials there.

  The pontiff continued, "the growth of hatred and violence in various cities in Israel is a serious wound to the fraternity and peaceful coexistence of citizens, which will be difficult to heal if we do not open up to dialogue immediately. I ask myself: where will hatred and revenge lead? Do we really think we are building peace by destroying the other?... I appeal to calm and, to whomever has the responsibility to put an end to the clamour of weapons and to walk the path of peace, with the help of the international community."