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Pope Francis has called for an investigation into whether Israel’s strikes on the Gaza Strip constitute genocide, according to excerpts from an upcoming book.
Israel’s attacks, which have killed more than 40,000 people, are largely seen as retaliation for the Oct. 7, 2023, attack by the Palestinian militant group Hamas on Israel.
“According to some experts, what is happening in Gaza has the characteristics of a genocide,” the pope says, according to published excerpts of the book. The pontiff adds that “it should be carefully investigated to determine whether it fits into the technical definition formulated by jurists and international bodies,” according to the excerpts published by Italian daily La Stampa on Sunday.
It’s the first time that Pope Francis has talked about potential genocide to describe the conflict in Gaza, the Associated Press reported. In September, he suggested that Israel’s actions in Gaza and Lebanon were immoral and disproportionate.
The book — titled “Hope Never Disappoints. Pilgrims Towards a Better World” — is to be released on Nov. 17 ahead of the pope’s 2025 Jubilee. It was written by Hernán Reyes Alcaide based on interviews with the pope.
