Pope Francis has called on the international community to evaluate whether Israel’s military offensive in Gaza constitutes genocide, delivering his most pointed criticism yet of Tel Aviv’s actions in the ongoing conflict.
In excerpts from his upcoming book, published by La Stampa on Sunday, the Pope highlighted expert opinions on the matter, stating, “What is happening in Gaza has the characteristics of a genocide.” He further emphasized, “We should investigate carefully to assess whether this fits into the technical definition formulated by international jurists and organizations.”
The Israeli foreign ministry has yet to respond to the Pope’s remarks. However, Israel has consistently rejected allegations of genocide.
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As the leader of the 1.4-billion-member Catholic Church, Pope Francis typically avoids taking sides in international conflicts, focusing on peace and de-escalation. However, his recent comments reflect growing criticism of Israel’s actions.
In September, the Pope condemned the deaths of Palestinian children in Gaza and called Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon “beyond morality.” While he had previously refrained from publicly describing the Gaza conflict as genocide, controversy arose when Palestinian representatives claimed he used the term in private—a claim later denied by the Vatican.
The Vatican has not issued an official response to the Pope’s latest remarks but acknowledged the book excerpts, including his statement on genocide, on its official news platform.
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Last week, Pope Francis also met with former hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, who are advocating for the release of others still in captivity.
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) is currently reviewing a case filed by South Africa in December, which accuses Israel of violating the Genocide Convention. In January, the ICJ instructed Israel to ensure that its military refrains from committing genocidal acts. However, the court has not yet delivered a verdict on whether genocide has taken place in Gaza.
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