• Israel has summoned the Vatican’s ambassador to express outrage over Pope Francis’s criticism of Israeli actions in Gaza.
• Francis denounced Israel’s deliberate targeting of civilians, particularly children, calling it “cruelty, not war.”
• The Vatican has consistently criticized Israel’s military campaign in Gaza as disproportionate, and condemned civilian casualties to the ire of Israel.
• Israel has accused the pope of “double standards,” claiming that he has ignored Hamas’ role in the conflict and the atrocities it has committed while focusing solely on Israeli actions.

The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs has summoned the Vatican City’s ambassador to Israel and Palestine to express its indignation over recent comments made by Pope Francis regarding Israel’s actions toward civilians in Gaza.

Archbishop Adolfo Tito Yllana, Vatican Apostolic Nuncio to Israel and Apostolic Delegate to Jerusalem and Palestine, met with the Israeli Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem in talks that underscoring the deepening rift between Israel and any nation, including institutions like the Vatican, which have vocally condemned Israeli abuses against Palestinian civilians. (Related: A record of truth: Israeli historian documents war crimes in Gaza.)

Pope Francis, in recent sermons and masses, has denounced the deaths of Palestinian children, accusing Israel of cruelty by targeting schools and hospitals and unleashing violence that has devastated Gaza. His words struck a chord with many, but they also sparked a fierce backlash from Israeli officials.

“Yesterday, children were bombed,” Francis declared in a recent sermon. “This is cruelty, not war.” These words came after an Israeli airstrike killed seven children from a single family, highlighting the devastating impact of the conflict on innocent lives.

The pope has consistently used his homilies to condemn what he sees as a humanitarian crisis. The Vatican’s criticism of Israel’s actions is not new.

Back in February, Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Petrio Parolin publicly criticized Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, calling it disproportionate due to the staggering number of civilian casualties. His comments sparked immediate backlash from Israel, which accused the Vatican of taking sides.

Pope Francis, Vatican accused of “double standards”

Francis has maintained regular contact with Palestinians in the region and has become increasingly outspoken in his criticism of Israel. His stance has drawn international attention and amplified calls for accountability.

Israel has accused the pope of “double standards,” arguing that he ignores the broader context of the conflict, including failing to mention Hamas by name or acknowledging the group’s atrocities.

However, the pope has consistently called for an end to the violence and the release of all remaining Israeli hostages still being held in Gaza by Hamas.

The diplomatic skirmish between the Vatican and Israel underscores the complex and often fraught nature of the conflict in Gaza. As the pope continues to speak out against what he sees as Israeli abuses, Israel maintains that it is fighting a justified war against terrorist threats.

The Vatican’s criticism has also extended to symbolic gestures, such as the nativity scene in St. Peter’s Square that featured a baby Jesus resting on a manger wrapped in a Palestinian keffiyeh, a traditional scarf that has become a symbol of Palestinian nationhood.

This display, while praised by many as a message of solidarity and peace, was met with strong backlash from Israel and pro-Zionists.

The situation highlights the challenges of maintaining neutrality in a complex conflict. Francis, as the leader of the 1.4 billion-member Roman Catholic Church, is usually careful about taking sides, but he has recently become more vocal about Israel’s genocide in Gaza.

Watch this video discussing the ongoing war and genocide’s effects on the surviving children in Gaza.

This video is from the Cynthia’s Pursuit of Truth channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Mike Adams Sermon 66: God will DESTROY ISRAEL for its wickedness.

Israel attacks school in Gaza where displaced Palestinians were sheltering as genocide continues.

5,000 civilians dead in a month in Israel’s genocidal war in Gaza.

Nearly 130,000 children under 10 are trapped in northern Gaza without access to food and medicine.

UN committee condemns Israel’s actions as “consistent with characteristics of genocide,” calls for Israeli officials to be held accountable.

Sources include:

MiddleEastEye.com

TimesOfIsrael.com

Brighteon.com