Pope Francis has called for an investigation to determine if Israel’s attacks in Gaza constitute genocide, according to excerpts released from a new book ahead of the pontiff’s jubilee year. In a book published today, Pope Francis addressed accusations of genocide related to Israel’s military operations in Gaza for the first time, though he does not explicitly endorse them. The book, "Hope Never Disappoints: Pilgrims Toward a Better World", is by Hernán Reyes Alcaide and is based on interviews with the Pope.
It is published in Italy, Spain and Latin America, and mentions the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, saying that what has happened must be investigated. The Pope states in one passage: “According to some experts, what is happening in Gaza has the characteristics of a genocide. This should be studied carefully to determine whether it fits the technical definition as formulated by jurists and international bodies.
” The 87-year-old pontiff references the extermination of Jews during World War II, the "genocide" of Armenians under the Ottoman Empire, the Tutsis in Rwanda, and Christians in the Middle East. This marks the first time he has publicly used the term "genocide" in relation to Israeli military operations in the Palestinian territory - though he does not fully adopt it. Francis also regularly calls for the release of all Israeli hostages in his public addresses.
On 14 November, he met with a group of 16 former hostages who had been freed after months of capti.