Pope Francis on Thursday stepped up his recent criticisms of Israel's military campaign in Gaza, calling the humanitarian situation in the Palestinian enclave "very serious and shameful".
Pope Francis © Mena Today
Pope Francis on Thursday stepped up his recent criticisms of Israel's military campaign in Gaza, calling the humanitarian situation in the Palestinian enclave "very serious and shameful".
In a yearly address to diplomats delivered on his behalf by an aide, Francis appeared to reference deaths caused by winter cold in Gaza, where there is almost no electricity.
"We cannot in any way accept the bombing of civilians," the text said.
"We cannot accept that children are freezing to death because hospitals have been destroyed or a country's energy network has been hit."
The pope was present for the address but asked an aide to read it for him as he is recovering from a cold.
The Pope's critical and systematic stance toward Israel raises questions within the Vatican, especially given the rare denunciation of terrorism in Francis's statements
Reporting by Joshua McElwee and Mena Today
Israeli soldiers are free to act without restriction to eliminate threats in Lebanon, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said on Sunday, adding troops remained in position in what Israel refers to as a security zone.
U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday threatened to restart war with Iran even as Vice President JD Vance met Iranian officials for the first talks under an interim peace deal, overshadowed by Tehran's announcement it had again closed the Strait of Hormuz.
President Donald Trump on Sunday posted that the U.S. will resume attacks on Iran unless the Iranians can keep their Hezbollah allies in Lebanon from causing violence.
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