Israel Accuses Pope Francis of "Double Standards" Over Gaza Remarks

Israel has accused Pope Francis of displaying "double standards" following his condemnation of Israeli airstrikes in Gaza during his annual Christmas address to the Vatican's Catholic cardinals. The Pope’s remarks focused on airstrikes that medics said killed at least 25 Palestinians in Gaza, with the Pope describing the actions as "cruelty" and asserting, "Yesterday, children were bombed. This is cruelty. This is not war. I wanted to say this because it touches the heart."

Israel’s Foreign Ministry responded to the Pope’s statement by criticizing the "disconnection" from the context of Israel's fight against terrorism. "Enough with the double standards and the singling out of the Jewish state and its people," said a spokesperson. Israel emphasized that the ongoing conflict stems from the October 7, 2023, Hamas invasion, which killed 1,200 Israelis and took 251 hostages.

In response to the Pope’s description of the strikes as “cruelty,” Israel’s Foreign Ministry pointed out that the true cruelty lies in Hamas’s tactics of using civilians as shields and holding hostages. "Cruelty is terrorists hiding behind children while trying to murder Israeli children; cruelty is holding 100 hostages for 442 days, including a baby and children," the statement read.

Tensions Between Israel and the Vatican

The Pope has historically avoided taking sides in conflicts but has recently become more vocal about Israel’s military campaign against Hamas. Earlier this month, a Vatican nativity scene drew controversy for depicting Jesus lying on a Palestinian keffiyeh, which some viewed as promoting the idea that Jesus was Palestinian rather than Jewish. The Vatican later removed the nativity scene following backlash.

The Pope has also met with families of hostages taken by Hamas, repeatedly calling for their release, though he has been criticized for not explicitly condemning Hamas in his remarks. Additionally, the Vatican reported that the Catholic Bishop of Jerusalem was denied entry to Gaza on Friday when attempting to visit Catholics there. Israeli officials have not commented on this incident.

Casualties and Military Operations

The ongoing conflict has resulted in significant casualties. The Hamas-run Gaza health ministry reports over 45,000 deaths in Gaza since the fighting began, although these figures cannot be independently verified. Israel claims it has killed approximately 18,000 combatants and another 1,000 terrorists within Israel on October 7. Israel has maintained that it seeks to minimize civilian casualties and accuses Hamas of fighting from civilian areas, including homes, hospitals, and mosques.