Pope calls for investigation into reported 'genocide' in Gaza
Pope Francis has officially referred to the Israeli military offensive in Gaza as “genocide” for the first time, as reported by various media sources. Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
Pope Francis has called for an investigation into whether Israel's military actions in Gaza constitute genocide against the Palestinian people, according to excerpts from an upcoming book released on Sunday.
In what is considered one of his strongest criticisms thus far, the pope urged the international community to legally evaluate Israel’s conduct in Gaza.
“According to some experts, what is happening in Gaza has the characteristics of a genocide,” the Pope stated in excerpts published by Italian daily La Stampa. “It should be carefully investigated to determine whether it fits into the technical definition formulated by jurists and international bodies.”
The book, titled ‘Hope never disappoints. Pilgrims towards a better world,’ is authored by Hernan Reyes Alcaide and is based on interviews with the Pope. It is scheduled for release on Tuesday.
These remarks also mark the first instance of Francis publicly using the term “genocide” in relation to the Israeli military offensive in Gaza, aligning with recent statements from the UN. A recent UN report described the actions of the Israel Defense Forces as “consistent with characteristics of genocide,” accusing Israel of “using starvation as a method of war.”
The destruction in Gaza has resulted in the displacement of approximately 1.9 million Palestinians, accounting for more than 90% of the population in the area, according to the UN.
In response, Israeli Ambassador to the Vatican Yaron Sideman dismissed the genocide accusations related to Israel's military actions in Gaza as baseless.
“There was a genocidal massacre on 7 October 2023 of Israeli citizens, and since then, Israel has exercised its right of self-defense against attempts from seven different fronts to kill its citizens,” he stated in a post on X on Sunday.
“Any attempt to call it by any other name is singling out the Jewish State.”
Since the onset of the Hamas-Israel conflict in October 2023, numerous international organizations have condemned Israel for its alleged inhumane actions in Gaza.
Last December, South Africa brought a case to the International Court of Justice in The Hague, asserting that Israel’s military operation in Gaza following Hamas's surprise attack was “genocidal in character.”
Israel declared war on Hamas after a series of assaults by the militant group based in Gaza, which resulted in the deaths of 1,200 Israelis. Over a year into the conflict, health officials in Gaza reported that more than 43,000 Palestinians have been killed and nearly 97,000 wounded due to the ongoing bombardments by the IDF.
Mathilde Moreau contributed to this report for TROIB News
In what is considered one of his strongest criticisms thus far, the pope urged the international community to legally evaluate Israel’s conduct in Gaza.
“According to some experts, what is happening in Gaza has the characteristics of a genocide,” the Pope stated in excerpts published by Italian daily La Stampa. “It should be carefully investigated to determine whether it fits into the technical definition formulated by jurists and international bodies.”
The book, titled ‘Hope never disappoints. Pilgrims towards a better world,’ is authored by Hernan Reyes Alcaide and is based on interviews with the Pope. It is scheduled for release on Tuesday.
These remarks also mark the first instance of Francis publicly using the term “genocide” in relation to the Israeli military offensive in Gaza, aligning with recent statements from the UN. A recent UN report described the actions of the Israel Defense Forces as “consistent with characteristics of genocide,” accusing Israel of “using starvation as a method of war.”
The destruction in Gaza has resulted in the displacement of approximately 1.9 million Palestinians, accounting for more than 90% of the population in the area, according to the UN.
In response, Israeli Ambassador to the Vatican Yaron Sideman dismissed the genocide accusations related to Israel's military actions in Gaza as baseless.
“There was a genocidal massacre on 7 October 2023 of Israeli citizens, and since then, Israel has exercised its right of self-defense against attempts from seven different fronts to kill its citizens,” he stated in a post on X on Sunday.
“Any attempt to call it by any other name is singling out the Jewish State.”
Since the onset of the Hamas-Israel conflict in October 2023, numerous international organizations have condemned Israel for its alleged inhumane actions in Gaza.
Last December, South Africa brought a case to the International Court of Justice in The Hague, asserting that Israel’s military operation in Gaza following Hamas's surprise attack was “genocidal in character.”
Israel declared war on Hamas after a series of assaults by the militant group based in Gaza, which resulted in the deaths of 1,200 Israelis. Over a year into the conflict, health officials in Gaza reported that more than 43,000 Palestinians have been killed and nearly 97,000 wounded due to the ongoing bombardments by the IDF.
Mathilde Moreau contributed to this report for TROIB News
