Pope Francis condemned the deaths of Palestinian civilians.
Following Pope Francis’ criticism of the “cruelty” of Israeli airstrikes in Gaza, Israel’s Foreign Ministry summoned the Vatican’s ambassador, Archbishop Adolfo Tito Yllana, Israeli media reported on Wednesday.
According to Ynet, the meeting between Archbishop Yllana and Foreign Ministry Director General Eyal Bar-Tal occurred on Tuesday. While Bar-Tal voiced disapproval of the Pope’s remarks, reports indicate no formal reprimand was issued.
The Pope reiterated his call for a Gaza ceasefire before Christmas, emphasizing the civilian casualties caused by Israeli airstrikes. He stated, according to Reuters, “This is cruelty. This is not war. I wanted to say this because it touches the heart.”
Last month, Vatican News cited the Pope’s upcoming book, in which he suggests allegations of Israeli army genocide against Palestinians “should be carefully investigated.”
Israel rejected the genocide accusations, asserting that Hamas uses civilians as human shields. A Foreign Ministry statement last month declared, “Cruelty is terrorists hiding behind children while trying to murder Israeli children; cruelty is holding 100 hostages for 442 days, including a baby and children, by terrorists and abusing them,”
Israeli diplomats stated, “Unfortunately, the pope has chosen to ignore all of this,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu affirmed that the Gaza operation will continue until the Hamas threat is eliminated.
Over 45,000 people have died in Gaza since October 2023, with approximately 90% of residents displaced, according to local authorities and the UN.
The conflict began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas and allied groups launched a surprise attack on Israeli cities, resulting in over 1,200 deaths and more than 200 hostages taken. Around 100 Israelis remain held captive in Gaza.