Pope Francis has called for an investigation to determine whether Israel’s actions in the Gaza Strip meet the definition of “genocide.” This is stated in the published excerpts of the new book “Hope Never Disappoints.” Pilgrims to a better world”, which is published before the pontiff’s birthday in 2025.
ABC News writes about this.
This is the first time that the head of the Catholic Church directly uses the term in reference to Israel. Francis noted that “some experts” see “signs of genocide” in Israel’s actions and proposed a thorough investigation to clarify the legal interpretation.
It is noteworthy that in September Francis already expressed harsh criticism of Israel, calling the attacks in Gaza and Lebanon “disproportionate and immoral.” However, the term “genocide” was very rarely used in official Vatican rhetoric.
The book, based on an interview with the Pope, contains reflections on key global issues, including migration and war. The text also mentions Francis’ meeting with relatives of Israeli and Palestinian hostages experiencing war as part of his efforts to promote dialogue between the parties in conflict.
The conflict in the Gaza Strip began on October 7, 2023, when militants killed 1,200 Israelis and took 250 hostages.
Previously, Cursor wrote that Pope Francis met with the families of the hostages. The media revealed details of the pontiff’s conversations with relatives of Israelis kidnapped by Hamas.
