Pope Francis urges investigation into ‘genocide’ in Gaza

In a new book, Hope Never Disappoints. Pilgrims Towards a Better World, the Catholic leader for the first time suggested that Israel’s attack on the Gaza Strip could be characterised as a genocide.

“According to some experts, what is happening in Gaza has the characteristics of genocide,” he wrote, in extracts published on Sunday in Italy’s La Stampa daily.

“This should be studied carefully to determine whether (the situation) corresponds to the technical definition formulated by jurists and international organisations.”

Pope Francis is one of the most high-profile figures on the international scene to imply that Israel’s actions in Gaza could amount to genocide.

The publication of his remarks came just days after a UN committee said Israel’s actions were “consistent with characteristics of genocide”.

The report by a United Nations special committee comprised of Malaysia, Senegal and Sri Lanka accused Israel of using starvation as a weapon of war and policies and practices in Gaza that may amount to a “possibility of genocide”.

The report, released amid ongoing scrutiny of Israel’s military response to the 7 October Hamas attack, highlighted the difficult conditions facing Gaza’s 2.3 million residents, particularly in terms of restricted access to food, water, medical care and shelter.

The Palestinian health ministry reported on Sunday that Israel’s war on Gaza had killed at least 43,850 Palestinians and wounded 103,740 others since October last year.

The committee accused Israel of “discriminatory” legislation and measures that maintained a near-complete separation of Palestinians from Israeli settlers, in breach of article 3 on racial segregation and apartheid under the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination.

Israel’s violations of UN Security Council resolutions and orders of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) are “weakening” the international rules-based order, the committee added.