I'm not sure why you say that the Pope regards Hell as only a possibility.
My understanding is that he has a strong regards for the statements at Fatima which assure us that there are many people in Hell. Needless to say, comments such as those will certainly enflame the traditionalists, as they would be a radical break from Tradition.
Well, the Pope has never said what he thinks about that particular statement. And, in his book The Threshold of Hope,he says this:
Eternal damnation remains a possibility, but we are not granted, without special divine revelation, the knowledge of whether or which human beings are effectively involved in it. The thought of hell—and even less the improper use of biblical images—must not create anxiety or despair, but is a necessary and healthy reminder of freedom within the proclamation that the risen Jesus has conquered Satan, giving us the Spirit of God who makes us cry “Abba, Father!” (Romans 8:15; Galatians 4:6)
Go here to read a good summary of the teaching on hell from Avery Dulles.
As to enflaming the traditionalists, the fact that it's 5:00 on Friday enflames them.