vatican City: On Sunday, Pope Francis denounced a rise in violence in the region and urged both sides of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to make a "sincere effort to find peace."

The pope concluded his customary Angelus prayer in St. Peter's Square by saying, "The death spiral that increases day by day only closes the few glimmers of trust that exist between the two peoples."

Francis, 86, cited the killing of seven Israelis and the 10 Palestinians who were killed by an Israeli army raid on a synagogue in East Jerusalem and a refugee camp in the West Bank on Friday.

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The pope declared that numerous Palestinians had died in clashes with the Israeli military since the year's beginning.

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I implore the two governments and the international community to find alternate solutions right away, such as through dialogue and a sincere effort to find peace.

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He said, "I learn of the news coming from the Holy Land with great sorrow."