Pope Francis calls for genocide investigation into Israeli attacks in Gaza

Pope Francis has called for an investigation to determine whether Israel’s attacks in Gaza constitute genocide, according to excerpts from a new book published Sunday 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. Travelers to a better world.” It will be published on Tuesday, ahead of the pope’s anniversary 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 Sunday in the Italian newspaper La Stampa.

“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.”