Pope Francis on Saturday condemned Israeli airstrikes in Gaza sends warning to America
According to the report from Reuters, Pope Francis on Saturday condemned Israeli airstrikes in Gaza, intensifying his criticism a day after an Israeli minister publicly denounced his remarks.
The pontiff suggested the global community should consider whether Israel’s military actions in Gaza amount to genocide against the Palestinian people.
During his annual Christmas address to Vatican officials, the pope alluded to the airstrikes that reportedly killed at least 25 Palestinians on Friday.
“Yesterday, children were bombed,” Francis declared. “This is cruelty. This is not war. I wanted to say this because it touches the heart.”
As the spiritual leader of 1.4 billion Catholics, Pope Francis often refrains from taking sides in conflicts.
However, he has become more vocal about Israel’s offensive against the Hamas-led Palestinian territories. In excerpts from his recently published book, the pope cited experts who claim the events in Gaza display genocidal characteristics.
These remarks drew sharp criticism from Israeli Minister of Diaspora Affairs, Amichai Chikli, who accused the pope of trivializing genocide.
In an open letter published in an Italian newspaper, Chikli labeled the pope’s comments inappropriate and dismissive of the term’s historical gravity.
On Saturday, the pope also revealed that the Catholic bishop of Jerusalem, known as the patriarch, had attempted to enter Gaza to visit the local Catholic community but was denied access.
However, Israeli military sources later announced that the patriarch would be granted entry on Sunday, assuming no security complications arise.
The military also stated that aid from the patriarch’s office had already reached Gaza last week.
The conflict began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas militants launched a deadly assault on southern Israeli communities, killing 1,200 people and taking more than 250 hostages.
In response, Israel initiated a large-scale military campaign targeting Hamas. Gaza authorities report that the Israeli offensive has resulted in over 45,000 deaths, predominantly civilians, while displacing nearly the entire population.
Israel maintains that a significant number of casualties are militants and insists efforts are made to minimize civilian harm.
However, critics argue that the extensive damage and civilian toll reflect a humanitarian crisis. Hamas has denied accusations of using civilians as human shields.
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