Pope calls for investigation to determine whether Israel committed ‘genocide’ in Gaza – Firstpost

Pope Francis has called for an investigation to determine whether Israel’s attacks in Gaza constitute genocide, according to excerpts published Sunday from a new book to be published ahead of the pontiff’s anniversary.

For the first time, Francis publicly called for an investigation into allegations of genocide regarding Israel’s actions in the Gaza Strip. In September he said Israel’s attacks in Gaza and Lebanon were “immoral” and disproportionate and that his military had gone beyond the rules of war.

The title of the book, written by Hernán Reyes Alcaide and based on interviews with the Pope, is “Hope never disappoints. Pilgrims towards a better world.” It will be published on Tuesday, ahead of the pope’s jubilee in 2025. Francis’ year-long jubilee is expected to bring more than 30 million pilgrims to Rome to celebrate the Holy Year.

“According to some experts, what is happening in Gaza amounts to genocide,” the Pope said in quotes published by the Italian newspaper La Stampa on Sunday.

“We must carefully investigate it to determine whether it meets the technical definition formulated by lawyers and international organisations,” he added.

Last year, Francis met separately with relatives of Israeli hostages in Gaza and war-torn Palestinians, setting fire to words that Vatican diplomats usually avoid: “terrorism” and, for the Palestinians, “genocide.”

Francis had spoken about the suffering of both Israelis and Palestinians following the meetings held before the Israel-Hamas hostage agreement and the temporary cessation of hostilities were announced.

The pope, who last week also met with a delegation of freed Israeli hostages and their families who are pressuring the campaign to bring the remaining captives home, retained editorial control of the upcoming book.

The war began when the militant Hamas group attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1,200 people, taking 250 hostages and returning them to Gaza, where dozens are still found.

Israel’s year-long military campaign has killed more than 43,000 people, according to Gaza health officials, who did not distinguish between civilians and combatants although they said more than half of the dead were women and children.

The Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza has triggered numerous legal cases in international courts in The Hague, including requests for arrest warrants as well as accusations and denials of war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide.

In his new book, Francis also touches on immigration and the problem of integrating immigrants into their host countries.

“Faced with this challenge, no country can be left alone, and no one can consider addressing the issue alone with more restrictive and oppressive laws, sometimes approved under the pressure of fear or in search of electoral advantage,” Francis said.

“On the contrary, just as we see a globalization of indifference, we must respond with a globalization of philanthropy and cooperation,” he added. Francis also noted that “the still open wound of the war in Ukraine led thousands of people to flee their homes, especially in the first months of the conflict.”