Israel kills 111 in Gaza as Pope asks for genocide probe

Pope Francis has addressed the issue of whether Israel is perpetrating genocide in Gaza for the first time in excerpts from an impending book, calling for an investigation to ascertain the situation.

“The situation in Gaza is characterized by genocide, according to certain experts,” the pontiff stated in excerpts published by the Italian daily La Stampa on Sunday.

“It is imperative that we conduct a thorough investigation to ascertain whether it aligns with the technical definition established by jurists and international organizations,” he continued.

Hernan Reyes Alcaide’s book, Hope Never Disappoints: Pilgrims towards a Better World, draws its title from interviews with the pontiff. The release is scheduled for Tuesday in anticipation of the pope’s 2025 yearlong jubilee, which is anticipated to attract over 30 million pilgrims to Rome for the occasion.

The Argentine pontiff has frequently expressed his regret for the number of victims of Israel’s conflict in Gaza, where the death toll is 43,846 individuals, the majority of whom are civilians, as reported by the Ministry of Health of the territory.

However, his request for an investigation is the first time he has publicly employed the term “genocide” in relation to the Israeli military offensive in Gaza, albeit without endorsing its use.

Later on Sunday, Israel’s embassy to the Vatican responded via a post on X, citing its Ambassador Yaron Sideman.

“Israel has exercised its right of self-defense against attempts from seven different fronts to kill its citizens since the genocidal massacre of Israeli citizens on 7 October 2023,” read the statement.

Any attempt to refer to the Jewish State by any other name singles it out.

However, Palestinian supporters and campaigners have referred to the Israeli offensive as a “war of vengeance” because it has destroyed the Gaza Strip.

The conflict in Gaza has resulted in numerous legal cases at the international tribunals in The Hague, including accusations and denials of war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide, as well as requests for arrest warrants.

On Thursday, a United Nations Special Committee accused Israel of “using starvation as a method of war” and deemed its conduct of warfare in Gaza “consistent with the characteristics of genocide.”

The United States, Israel’s primary supporter, has already condemned its conclusions.

With the backing of numerous nations, including Turkey, Spain, and Mexico, South Africa submitted a genocide case to the International Court of Justice. In January, the justices of the court directed Israel to make certain that its forces do not engage in any genocidal activities. The court has yet to determine whether genocide has taken place in Gaza, which is the fundamental issue at hand.

Pope Francis, the leader of the 1.4 billion-member Catholic Church, generally avoids taking a stance in international conflicts and emphasizes the importance of deescalation. However, he has intensified his criticism of Israel’s actions in its conflict with the Palestinians.

He condemned the Israeli attacks in Gaza that resulted in the deaths of Palestinian minors in September. He also vehemently criticized Israel’s air strikes in Lebanon, claiming that they exceeded the bounds of morality.

Francis has not previously referred to the situation in Gaza as a genocide in public. However, following a meeting with a group of Palestinians at the Vatican last year, he became embroiled in a contentious dispute. The Palestinians maintained that he had used the term in private, while the Vatican denied this.

Francis has consistently advocated for the repatriation of the Israeli detainees captured by Hamas on October 7, 2023. The Israeli army reports 34 of the 251 individuals apprehended on that day as deceased, while 97 remain in detention in Palestinian territory.

On Thursday, the pontiff received the release of 16 former captives from months of detention in Gaza.