Pope Francis slams ‘cruelty’ of strike killing Gaza children

Pope Francis has severely denounced the continuous bloodshed in Gaza, characterizing the bombing of children as "cruelty" instead of conflict. Speaking at the Vatican on Saturday, Francis bemoaned the death of seven children from a single family, slain in an Israeli bombardment a day earlier. Children yesterday were blasted. Speaking to Holy See officials, he added, this is brutality; this is not combat.

Ten members of a family in northern Gaza, including seven children, were reportedly killed by the strike according to Gaza's civil defense rescue service. The Israeli military said that although local sources claimed different numbers of casualties, their attack aimed at Hamas militants functioning under a military framework. Still, the wreckage on the ground presents a depressing picture of the cost on people.

More than 14 months into the Israel-Hamas conflict, violence in Gaza continues since international attempts to negotiate a truce have not produced any success. Local health officials claim that the fight, which started following Hamas's initial onslaught on Israel on October 7, 2023, has caused extensive damage in Gaza and a startling death toll of more than 45,200, most of which are women and children.

Consistent advocate of peace, Pope Francis has taken a progressively critical posture on the Israeli attack in recent weeks. In late November, Pope expressed a rare break from Vatican policy of neutrality by criticizing the "invader's arrogance" that rules over discourse in Palestine. In passages from a new book, the pope demanded a close review of whether the circumstances in Gaza fit the definition of genocide, a claim Israel fervuously disputes.

Having acknowledged the State of Palestine since 2013, the Holy See keeps supporting a two-state answer. The most recent comments of the Pope highlight the pressing need of a stop to the bloodshed and the quest of communication to settle the problems. Emphasizing the human cost of the war and the misery of innocent life caught in the crossfire, he remarked, "It touches my heart."