Pope seeks inquiry on if Gaza assault is 'genocide'

Pope Francis meets with Israeli families of Hamas hostages

(Image credit: Vatican Media via Vatican Pool / Getty Images)

published 18 November 2024

What happened

Pope Francis is seeking clarity on whether Israel's war in Gaza meets the legal definition of "genocide," according to book excerpts published Sunday in Italian newspapers and confirmed by the Vatican press office. Israel rejects that characterization, commonly used by Arab leaders and Palestinian advocates. The International Court of Justice is weighing South Africa's allegations that Israel has violated the Genocide Convention.

That was some of the pope's "most explicit criticism yet of Israel's conduct in its yearlong war," Reuters said. Francis is "usually careful not to take sides in international conflicts," though he has recently "stepped up his criticism of Israel's conduct" in the war. In September, the pope called Israel's attacks in Gaza and Lebanon "'immoral' and disproportionate, and that its military has gone beyond the rules of war," said The Associated Press.

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Israel's Vatican ambassador, Yaron Sideman, said the "genocidal massacre" was Hamas' Oct. 7 attack on Israeli citizens last year, "and since then, Israel has exercised its right of self-defense." Calling the war "by any other name is singling out the Jewish state," he added. Hamas killed 1,200 people on Oct. 7 and abducted 250 more, dozens of whom are still being kept hostage. Israel's military response has killed 43,846 people in Gaza, according to the Gaza health ministry, and another 3,481 in Lebanon. Both those numbers include civilians and militants.

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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.