Pope Francis Denounces Israeli Airstrikes on Gaza as “Cruelty”

Pope Francis has sharply criticized the ongoing Israeli airstrikes in Gaza, describing them as “cruelty” and stating that they go beyond the scope of warfare. His remarks come in response to recent bombings that killed at least 25 Palestinians, including children, in Gaza on December 20, 2024.

In his annual Christmas address to the Vatican’s cardinals, the Pope remarked, “Yesterday, children were bombed. This is cruelty. This is not war. I wanted to say this because it touches the heart.” His comments reflect an increasingly outspoken stance on the Israel-Hamas conflict, with the pontiff previously suggesting that Israel’s military actions could amount to genocide.

The Pope’s remarks have drawn criticism from Israeli officials. In a public response, Israeli Minister of Diaspora Affairs Amichai Chikli called the Pope’s words a “trivialization” of the term “genocide.”

In his address, the Pope also shared that the Catholic Patriarch of Jerusalem had been denied entry into Gaza while attempting to visit the local Catholic community. The patriarch’s office has declined to comment on this incident.