Pope Francis suggests international study into possible genocide in Gaza
Pope Francis has suggested a study into whether Israel’s military campaign in Gaza constitutes a genocide of the Palestinian people.
Pope Francis has suggested the global community should study whether Israel’s military campaign in Gaza constitutes a genocide of the Palestinian people, in some of his most explicit criticism yet of Israel’s conduct in its year-long war.
In excerpts published on Sunday from a forthcoming book, the pontiff said some international experts say that “what is happening in Gaza has the characteristics of a genocide.”
“We should investigate carefully to assess whether this fits into the technical definition (of genocide) formulated by international jurists and organizations,” the pope said in the excerpts, published by Italian daily La Stampa.
Last December South Africa filed a case against Israel at the International Court of Justice for allegedly violating the Genocide Convention. In January the judges at the court ordered Israel to ensure its troops commit no genocidal acts. The court has not yet ruled on the core of the case — whether genocide has occurred in Gaza.
Israel says accusations of genocide in its Gaza campaign are baseless and that it is solely hunting down Hamas and other armed groups.
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