Pope Francis has suggested that the global community should investigate whether the Israeli military campaign in Gaza constitutes genocide against the Palestinian people.
In excerpts from an upcoming book, the Pope stated that some international experts claim “what is happening in Gaza has characteristics of genocide.”
“We should carefully investigate to assess whether this falls under the technical definition [of genocide] formulated by international jurists and organizations,” Pope Francis said in parts of his forthcoming book.
The Pope, leader of the Catholic Church with 1.4 billion members, is typically cautious about taking sides in international conflicts, emphasizing the need to de-escalate tensions. However, he has intensified his criticism of Israel’s actions in this conflict.
