Pope Francis slams ‘cruelty’ of Israeli strikes killing Gaza children
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Pope Francis says Israel's “arrogance prevails over dialogue” meant to pause fighting in Gaza.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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VATICAN CITY – Pope Francis on Dec 21 condemned the bombing of children in Gaza as “cruelty” a day after the territory’s rescue agency said an Israeli air strike killed seven children from one family.
Gaza’s civil defence rescue agency reported that an Israeli air strike killed 10 members of a family on Dec 20 in the northern part of Gaza, including seven children
“Yesterday, they did not allow the Patriarch (of Jerusalem) into Gaza as promised. Yesterday, children were bombed. This is cruelty. This is not war,” the Pope told members of the government of the Holy See.
“I want to say it because it touches my heart.”
Violence in Gaza continues to rock the coastal territory more than 14 months into the Israel-Hamas war, even as international mediators work to negotiate a ceasefire between Israel and the militant group Hamas.
The Israeli military said it struck “several terrorists who were operating in a military structure belonging to the Hamas terrorist organisation and posed a threat to IDF (Israel Defence Forces) troops operating in the area”.
“According to an initial examination, the reported number of casualties resulting from the strike does not align with the information held by the IDF,” it added.
Pope Francis, 88, has called for peace since Hamas’ unprecedented attack against Israel on Oct 7, 2023, and the Israeli retaliatory campaign in Gaza.
In recent weeks, he has hardened his remarks against the Israeli offensive.
At the end of November, he said “the invader’s arrogance... prevails over dialogue” in “Palestine”, a rare position that contrasts with the tradition of neutrality of the Holy See.
In extracts from a forthcoming book published in November, the Pope calls for a “careful” study as to whether the situation in Gaza “corresponds to the technical definition” of genocide, an accusation firmly rejected by Israel
The Holy See has since 2013 recognised the State of Palestine, with which it maintains diplomatic relations, and it supports the two-state solution. AFP
