Vatican City: Pope Francis reiterated his condemnation of Israeli airstrikes in Gaza on Saturday, just one day after an Israeli minister criticized his suggestion that the ongoing military actions could potentially qualify as genocide against the Palestinian people. In his annual Christmas address to the Vatican's cardinals, the pope referenced Friday’s airstrikes, which resulted in the deaths of at least 25 Palestinians, saying, "Yesterday, children were bombed. This is cruelty. This is not war. I wanted to say this because it touches the heart."

While the pope typically refrains from taking sides in conflicts, his remarks have become more vocal regarding Israel’s military operations against Hamas in Gaza. He had previously referenced expert opinions suggesting that the situation in Gaza bore characteristics of genocide.

The Israeli government strongly rebuked the pope's statements. Israeli Minister of Diaspora Affairs Amichai Chikli accused the pope of trivializing the term "genocide" and stated that Israel was simply defending itself against the actions of Hamas militants, whom Israel claims hide behind civilians while committing atrocities. Israel’s foreign ministry added that it takes extraordinary efforts to minimize civilian casualties, in contrast to Hamas, which they say deliberately endangers Palestinian lives.

Pope Francis also mentioned that the Catholic bishop of Jerusalem had been denied entry to Gaza on Friday in an attempt to visit the Christian community there. However, the Israeli military later confirmed that the patriarch's entry would be permitted on Sunday, provided no significant security concerns arise.

The ongoing conflict began with a Hamas-led attack on Israeli communities on October 7, 2023, which resulted in over 1,200 Israeli casualties and the taking of hostages. In retaliation, Israel's campaign against Gaza has caused significant destruction and loss of life, with more than 45,000 Palestinians reported dead, most of them civilians. Israel claims a portion of those killed were militants, though Hamas disputes these claims.