Pope Francis condemns "cruelty" of Israeli strike killing Gaza children: "This is not war"

Rome, Italy - Pope Francis on Saturday condemned the bombing of children in Gaza as "cruelty", a day after an Israeli air strike killed seven children from one family.

Pope Francis on Saturday condemned the bombing of children in Gaza as "cruelty", a day after an Israeli air strike killed seven children from one family.
Pope Francis on Saturday condemned the bombing of children in Gaza as "cruelty", a day after an Israeli air strike killed seven children from one family.  © VATICAN MEDIA / AFP

Gaza's civil defense rescue agency reported that an Israeli air strike killed 10 members of a family on Friday in the northern part of the territory, 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," he told members of the government of the Holy See.

"I want to say it because it touches my heart."

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Francis (88) has called for peace since war broke out in October 2023, and in recent weeks, he has hardened his remarks against Israel's assault, which has killed over 45,000 Palestinians.

At the end of November, he said that "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, he called for a "careful" study as to whether the situation in Gaza "corresponds to the technical definition" of genocide.

Numerous rights groups have agreed that Israel's assault is genocidal, including Amnesty International and a UN Special Committee.

Cover photo: VATICAN MEDIA / AFP

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