No equivalence between Israel and Hamas -hostages' relatives

(ANSA) - ROME, NOV 22 - Hamas and Israel cannot be likened to each other, a relative of one of the Israeli hostages being held in Gaza said after meeting Pope Francis on Wednesday.
    "There can be no equivalence between Hamas, which is a terrorist organisation and shields civilians, and Israel, which defends civilians," Nadav told reporters at a press conference in Rome.
    He was one of 12 relatives of Israeli civilians who were taken hostage by Hamas during its October 7 attack to meet with the pope early on Wednesday.
    Francis subsequently also met with a delegation of ten Palestinians, Christians and Muslims, with relatives in Gaza, before saying in his general audience that "here we have gone beyond war: this is not war, it is terrorism".
    Another Israeli relative, Yehuda, expressed "disappointment" because Francis allegedly "did not mention Hamas and did not speak of it as a terrorist organisation".
    "He only said that the war must end," he continued, adding that there had been "no time to tell him our story".
    However Yair Rotem, another relative in the delegation, said the meeting had been "effective".
    "He listened to us," he said. (ANSA).