Pope Francis calls Gaza bombing ‘cruelty, not war’; Israel accuses him of singling out the Jewish state – Times of India

Pope Francis (Reuters photo)

Pope Francis on Saturday denounced the killing of children in Gaza, describing it as “cruelty” and “not war.”
Pope’s comments came after Gaza’s civil defence rescue agency reported an Israeli airstrike had killed seven children from a single family, while Israel defended its military actions, claiming the targeted airstrike was aimed at Hamas terrorists using civilian areas for operations.
“Yesterday, children were bombed. This is cruelty, and it touches my heart,” the Pope said during the Christmas address to cardinals.
The Israeli government reacted sharply, accusing the Pope of showing double standards. According to an AFP report, a spokesperson for Israel’s foreign ministry said that the pontiff’s remarks disregarded the “true and factual context” of Israel’s battle against jihadist terrorism. “Enough with the singling out of the Jewish state and its people,” he added.
The pope also said that the Catholic bishop of Jerusalem, known as a patriarch, had tried to enter the Gaza Strip on Friday to visit catholics there, but was denied entry.
Pope Francis, 88, has consistently called for peace in the region. Recently, he questioned whether the events in Gaza could meet the legal definition of genocide, a claim Israel denies. Since recognising the state of Palestine in 2013, the Holy See has supported a two-state solution as the pathway to lasting peace.
The ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict began after Hamas launched a surprise attack on October 7, 2023, killing over 1,200 people and taking hostages, including children. Gaza’s health ministry, run by Hamas, reports over 45,000 deaths in the territory since the war began, with the United Nations considering these figures credible.