VATICAN CITY - Pope Francis, who is currently recovering from infectious bronchitis, skipped his weekly window appearance at St. Peter's Square for the second consecutive Sunday. However, in televised remarks, the Pope assured his followers that he is feeling better, although his voice is still not strong enough to deliver a full address.

Speaking from the chapel of the Vatican hotel where he resides, Francis expressed his gratitude for the well wishes he has received during his illness. Thousands of people gathered in St. Peter's Square to watch the Pope's remarks on giant screens placed outdoors.

Despite his absence from the public eye, the Pope revealed that he has been keeping up with the proceedings of the U.N. climate conference in Dubai from a distance. Francis was originally scheduled to attend the COP28 conference on Friday to deliver a speech. However, following medical advice, he heeded his doctors' orders and remained at the Vatican to continue his recovery, receiving antibiotics intravenously.

During his brief remarks, the Pope expressed his concern over the recent escalation of violence in the Israeli-Hamas conflict, specifically mentioning the end of the truce. He condemned the loss of life, destruction, and suffering resulting from the conflict. Additionally, Francis called for the release of the remaining hostages who were taken during the Hamas' attack on Israel on October 7th. The pontiff also highlighted the dire living conditions in Gaza and urged for the provision of basic necessities following the Israeli offensive against Hamas.

On Thursday, Pope Francis informed healthcare workers that he was advised against making the scheduled trip to the United Arab Emirates from December 1st to 3rd due to the extreme heat and the abrupt change in temperatures from the scorching outdoors to air-conditioned environments. He expressed his gratitude that his current illness was not pneumonia but rather an acute case of infectious bronchitis.

Turning his attention to the issue of climate change, Pope Francis emphasized the importance of concrete political action to address this global challenge. He urged an end to the "bottlenecks" caused by nationalism and outdated patterns, and called for a collective commitment to a necessary global ecological conversion.

As Pope Francis continues his recovery, his followers around the world eagerly await his return to full health and his continued spiritual leadership.