Pope Francis has spoken out in his upcoming book in favor of an investigation into the accusation that Israel is committing genocide in the Gaza Strip, the Italian newspaper La Stampa reported on Sunday.
“According to some experts, what is happening in Gaza has the hallmarks of genocide. It must be carefully examined to see whether it meets the technical definition formulated by lawyers and international bodies,” La Stampa quoted the head of the Catholic Church as saying.
Israel is facing enormous international criticism for the high number of civilian casualties in the Gaza Strip and the catastrophic shortage of aid supplies.
South Africa has filed a lawsuit against Israel at the International Court of Justice in The Hague for genocide.
The chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, also in The Hague, applied for arrest warrants in May against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, as well as Hamas leaders, for waging the war.
Israel has been bombing the coastal strip since the Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023. The Hamas-controlled Ministry of Health estimates the death toll in the Gaza Strip at more than 43,000. The figure cannot be independently verified.
The book in which the Pope commented is called: ‘Hope Never Disappoints. Pilgrims to a better world.’ It will be published in Italy on Tuesday.
