Israel’s military operation in Gaza has “gone beyond war,” according to Pope Francis, who condemned the conflict after meetings with separate delegations of Palestinian refugees and Israeli relatives of Hamas victims.

“Here we have gone beyond wars,” Pope Francis said, referring to the suffering of both delegations. “This is not war, this is terrorism. Please, let’s go ahead and pray for peace. Pray a lot for peace.”

ANATOMY OF A DEAL: HOW THE ISRAEL-HAMAS HOSTAGE NEGOTIATIONS PLAYED OUT

Those extemporaneous remarks came in the hours after Qatar announced a ceasefire, during which Hamas is expected to release dozens of the hostages seized during its Oct. 7 rampage in exchange for about 150 Palestinians in Israeli prisons. That agreement reportedly should lead to a second exchange of hostages for prisoners if the terms are kept, but scores of other hostages are not covered by the deal.

“At least 50 hostages — women and children — will be released over four days, during which a pause in the fighting will be held,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s team announced late Tuesday. “The release of every additional ten hostages will result in one additional day in the pause.”

Rachel Goldberg, a Chicago native, showed the pope footage of the attack in which her son Hersh lost his arm before he was taken hostage.

“This is my son,” she said, as the pope gazed in apparent amazement. “No arm ... So my heart has been in Gaza for 47 days.”

The Palestinian delegation also described the carnage in Gaza, which Israeli forces have bombarded even while Hamas officials have ordered Palestinian civilians not to evacuate the city.

“Everyone had a different story, but they all end up the same: people are dying, houses [are collapsing] over kids, and you're losing your family,” Gaza resident Suhair Anastas, who was able to leave with her daughter on account of her Canadian citizenship, told Vatican News. “I guess I was one of the lucky people sheltered by a church, but at the same time, it wasn't a safe place. Nowhere in Gaza is safe. There were people who were in the church who would go out to try to get some food for those in the church. And you'd always keep thinking ‘What if anything happens to them on the way?’”

Goldberg said she felt “grateful and truly blessed” to have met the pope and experienced his empathy for the suffering.

“But I felt a connection to his concern for us and for all the people, for all the hostages, and for all the people in Gaza who are also suffering,” Goldberg said. “And it gave gave me a lot of hope.”

Still, another member of the Israeli delegation called for Francis to advocate for the release of the hostages.

“I hope the Pope will help by putting pressure on in the world, as he can,” Michael Levy, whose brother was taken hostage and sister-in-law was murdered by Hamas, told an Italian media outlet. “I had no news of my brother for days, until it was confirmed he was in the hands of the kidnappers.”

Israeli military officials maintain that their campaign is necessary to press Hamas to release more hostages.

“We are determined to follow this road and really bring maximal achievements,” IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi said Tuesday. “All these things work together … the maneuver also creates better conditions for the return of the hostages. It deals blows to Hamas, it creates pressure, and we will continue this pressure.”

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Hamas officials have acknowledged that they do not feel a responsibility to protect Palestinian civilians. They also have said they intend to perpetrate the atrocities that took place on Oct. 7 “again and again” until the state of Israel is destroyed. Pope Francis expressed hope that the conflict can be resolved through peaceful means.

“Let us pray for peace in the Holy Land,” he said. “Let us pray that the difficulties resolve themselves in dialogue and negotiation and not with a mountain of dead on each side.”