Pope shows off rosary of dead Ukrainian soldier as he denounces ‘madness of war’

Pope Francis holds his weekly general audience in St Peter’s Square at the Vatican (Alessandra Tarantino/AP)

Pope Francis has led thousands of people in a moment of silence to pray for the aid workers killed by an Israeli strike in Gaza and a young Ukrainian soldier named Oleksandre who was killed in “this madness of war”.

Francis appealed anew for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and the release of hostages taken from Israel on October 7 by Hamas.