ROME -- Pope Benedict XVI on Tuesday urged dialogue towards a peaceful solution to the conflict in Gaza and appealed to armed groups in DR Congo to release children captured as soldiers.

During his Angelus prayer, the pontiff said he encouraged "the efforts of those... who are seeking to help the Israelis and the Palestinians to agree to sit down around a table and talk.

"God supports the undertaking of these courageous builders of peace," he said.

Arab nations Tuesday pressed the case for a UN Security Council resolution condemning Israel's action as the Jewish state rejected ceasefire calls by French President Nicolas Sarkozy and other leaders.

In his message to coincide with the feast of the Epiphany, the head of the Roman Catholic Church also appealed to armed groups in eastern DR Congo to release children "wrenched from their families" to act as soldiers.

The pontiff said he wanted to draw attention to "the dozens of children and adolescents who have been abducted in recent months" in Congo's Orientale province.

"I appeal to the authors of these inhuman brutalities to return these young people to their families and give them back a future of security and development which is their right," Benedict told pilgrims in St. Peter's Square.