Vatican City(Quds News Network)- Pope Francis denounced on Thursday Israel’s ongoing genocide war in Gaza, calling the humanitarian situation in the Palestinian enclave “very serious and shameful”.
In a yearly address to diplomats delivered on his behalf by an aide, Francis appeared to reference deaths caused by winter cold in Gaza.
“We cannot in any way accept the bombing of civilians,” the text said. “We cannot accept that children are freezing to death because hospitals have been destroyed or a country’s energy network has been hit.”
Eight Palestinian babies froze to death in the past few nights in Gaza, as the ongoing Israeli siege worsens the harsh winter conditions, making life uninhabitable,
The Pope’s comments were part of an address to Vatican-accredited envoys from some 184 countries that is sometimes called the pope’s “state of the world” speech. The Israeli ambassador to the Holy See was among those present for the event.
Pope Francis has recently been more outspoken about Israel’s assault in Gaza and has suggested the global community should study whether the offensive constitutes a genocide of the Palestinian people.