Pope Francis Questions Gaza: Genocide or Defense?

Pope Francis suggests investigating whether Israel's military actions in Gaza could be classified as genocide. His comments come amidst ongoing international legal proceedings and criticisms of Israel’s conduct. This marks one of the pontiff's more direct criticisms of Israel's actions in the region.

Pope Francis has pressed the international community to assess if Israel's operations in Gaza qualify as genocide, marking a significant escalation in his commentary on the region's conflict.

The remarks, derived from excerpts of an upcoming book published in La Stampa, highlight concerns by international experts regarding potential genocidal characteristics of Israeli actions against Palestinians. The pope has called for a thorough investigation based on international legal definitions.

This follows recent international legal actions, such as South Africa's case at the International Court of Justice accusing Israel of violating the Genocide Convention. Meanwhile, Israel claims its Gaza operations are targeted at Hamas, dismissing genocide allegations.

(With inputs from agencies.)