Pope urges inquiry into Gaza genocide allegations

The pontiff has publicly used the term for the first time, when referring to the Israeli military offensive in the enclave, according to media 

Pope Francis has called for an investigation to determine if Israel’s attacks on Gaza amount to genocide of the Palestinian people, according to excerpts from an upcoming book which were released on Sunday.  

In some of his most direct criticism yet, the pontiff has called on the global community to make a legal assessment of Israel’s actions in Gaza.  

“According to some experts, what is happening in Gaza has the characteristics of a genocide,” the Pope said 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, by Hernan Reyes Alcaide and based on interviews with the Pope, is entitled ‘Hope never disappoints. Pilgrims towards a better world’. It is due to be released on Tuesday.   

The pontiff’s comments also reportedly mark the first time Francis has publicly used the term “genocide” regarding the Israeli military offensive in Gaza and has echoed statements made by the UN. In a recent report, the organization said that the actions of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) were “consistent with characteristics of genocide,” accusing Israel of “using starvation as a method of war.”  

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Israel’s widespread destruction in Gaza has led to the displacement of about 1.9 million Palestinians – more than 90% of the territory’s population, according to the UN.  

In response, Israeli Ambassador to the Vatican Yaron Sideman claimed accusations of genocide in its military campaign in Gaza were groundless.  

“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 said in a statement on X on Sunday.  

“Any attempt to call it by any other name is singling out the Jewish State.”  

Since the start of the Hamas-Israel war in October 2023, multiple international organizations have accused Israel of inhumane actions in Gaza.   

South Africa filed a case with The Hague-based International Court of Justice (ICJ) last December, alleging that Israel’s offensive in Gaza following the surprise attack by Hamas was “genocidal in character.”  

Israel declared war on Hamas after a series of raids by the Gaza-based militant group which resulted in the deaths of 1,200 Israelis. More than a year into the hostilities, over 43,000 Palestinians have been killed and nearly 97,000 wounded in the intensive bombardments by the IDF, according to the enclave’s health officials.