Pope Francis, who championed justice including in Gaza, dies at 88

Pope Francis died on Monday morning at the age of 88. His passing marks the end of a 12-year papacy defined by advocacy for peace, the poor, and the displaced.​He was the first pope from Latin America and the first Jesuit to lead the Catholic Church. Since 2013, he visited the Middle East multiple times, speaking out on Palestine, Syria, Lebanon, and Yemen.​In his final public appearance on Easter Sunday, Francis called for a ceasefire in Gaza.​“I appeal to the warring parties: call a ceasefire, release the hostages and come to the aid of a starving people that aspires to a future of peace.”​Francis had been increasingly vocal about Israel's war on Gaza since it began in October 2023.​In recent years, he faced multiple health challenges, including colon surgery in 2021, a hernia in 2023, and bouts of bronchitis that required him to use a wheelchair.​His death was announced by Cardinal Kevin Farrell from the Vatican's Casa Santa Marta.​Pope Francis will be remembered for his humility, his focus on the marginalized, and his calls for peace in conflict zones.​