Pope describes Baby killing in Gaza as sad news

Pope John Paul II described the Israeli killing of a Palestinian baby girl ( 4 months old) in the Gaza Strip on Monday as "sad news" that highlighted the urgency for peace in the troubled Middle East.

" Mindful of the sad news of conflict and death which even today arrived from Gaza, our prayer becomes even more intense," the Pontiff said during a prayer for peace at the Syrian Quneitra town.

The Pope, on a pilgrimage to Syria, added that sentence to his prepared prayer at the last minute after the news emerged from Gaza. Four month- old Iman Hejjo was killed when her house was hit by Israeli fire during an attack on Khan Younis camp in Gaza.

The Israeli army said its forces fired light weapons at the camp in response to mortar bombs that fell in a Jewish settlement area in the Gaza Strip.