Pope Francis Condemns Gaza Strikes, Israel Responds with Criticism

Pope Francis condemned Israeli airstrikes on Gaza, calling them "brutal," during a Christmas speech to Catholic cardinals. His remarks followed his call for the international community to assess whether Israel's military actions amount to genocide against Palestinians. In response, Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs labeled the Pope's statements as "detached from reality," asserting that Israel targets terrorists using children as human shields. Israel defended its efforts to minimize civilian harm while blaming Hamas for the casualties. The ongoing conflict has resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands of civilians and the near-total displacement of Gaza's population.

Source : Agences: Source :** Reuters et TASS