“Yesterday children were bombed. This is cruelty, this is not war. I want to say it because it touches my heart.”
Israel’s Foreign Ministry has summoned the Vatican’s ambassador for talks following Pope Francis’ recent remarks criticizing the bombing of children in Gaza as an act of “cruelty,” according to an Israeli media report.
The meeting with Archbishop Adolfo Tito Yllana, held on Tuesday at the Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem, was “not classified as a reprimand,” the Israeli news website Ynet reported.
Israel summons Vatican Ambassador to the occupied Palestinian territories Adolfo Tito Camacho Yllana after Pope Francis criticizes Gaza genocide.pic.twitter.com/njzzVeIElt
— PalMedia (@PalBint) December 26, 2024
However, the report added, Foreign Ministry Director General Eyal Bar-Tal “expressed Israel’s strong displeasure with the Pope’s comments.”
‘This is Not War’
Pope Francis on Saturday condemned an Israeli airstrike in northern Gaza which killed ten members of a family, including seven children.
“Yesterday they did not allow the Patriarch (of Jerusalem) into Gaza as promised. Yesterday children were bombed. This is cruelty, this is not war,” he told members of the Holy See’s government, adding, “I want to say it because it touches my heart.”
‘Cruelty, Not War’ – Pope Francis Slams Bombing of Gaza Children
Ynet reported that the Foreign Ministry spokesperson Oren Marmorstein stated in response: “Cruelty is when terrorists hide behind children while trying to kill Israeli children. Cruelty is holding 100 hostages for 442 days, including infants and children, and abusing them.”
He went on to claim that “the pope chose to ignore all of this, as well as the fact that Israel’s actions were directed at terrorists who used children as human shields.”
Consistent Criticism
Since the escalation of the Israeli war on Gaza on October 7, 2023, the Pope has consistently called for “peace.” In recent weeks, however, he has adopted a firmer stance against the Israeli offensive.
At the end of November, the Pope stated that “the invader’s arrogance… prevails over dialogue” in “Palestine,” marking a rare deviation from the Holy See’s tradition of neutrality.
Baby Jesus with a Keffiyeh – A Historic Nativity Scene at the Vatican
In excerpts from a forthcoming book published in November, he suggested a “careful” examination of whether the situation in Gaza “corresponds to the technical definition” of genocide, a claim strongly denied by Israeli authorities.
The Holy See, which recognized the State of Palestine in 2013, maintains diplomatic relations with it and continues to advocate for a two-state solution.
Ongoing Genocide
The Israeli genocide in the Gaza Strip continues with the death toll among starved and besieged Palestinian civilians rising daily.
Currently on trial before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for genocide against Palestinians, Israel has been waging a devastating war on Gaza since October 7, 2023.
The moment a marked press vehicle was targeted by Israeli occupation forces in central Gaza, killing five Palestinian journalists from Al-Quds Today television channel while they were asleep inside. pic.twitter.com/q6F93q2A9Q
— The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) December 26, 2024
According to Gaza’s Ministry of Health, 45,361 Palestinians have, to date, been killed, and 107,803 wounded. Moreover, at least 11,000 people are unaccounted for, presumed dead under the rubble of their homes throughout the Strip.
Israel says that 1,200 soldiers and civilians were killed during the Al-Aqsa Flood Operation on October 7. However, Israeli media published reports suggesting that many Israelis were killed on that day by ‘friendly fire’.
Women and Children
Palestinian and international organizations say that the majority of those killed and wounded are women and children.
Despite all the horrifying numbers included in this video by PalestinianPr1ncess, a new, equally disturbing category emerged today, that of Gaza babies freezing to death.
For all numbers and information, please visit https://t.co/SbcmLbgEY7 pic.twitter.com/2S4aJCtxtJ
— The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) December 26, 2024
The Israeli war has resulted in an acute famine resulting in the death of many Palestinians, mostly children.
The Israeli aggression has also resulted in the forceful displacement of nearly two million people from all over the Gaza Strip, with the vast majority of the displaced forced into the densely crowded southern region.
(The Palestine Chronicle)
Be the first to comment