This is cruelty, this is not war,” the pope told members of the government of the Holy See. After his Saturday comments, Israel's foreign mini

Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David criticized the state of Israel on Christmas Eve for its relentless attacks in Gaza that have killed tens of thousands of Palestinians—echoing the scathing pronouncements of Pope Francis.

For the second time in the last couple of days, Pope Francis condemned Israel s actions in Gaza during his official remarks

Pope Francis called for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, as well as for the release of hostages, adding aid needs to be given to the people “worn out by hunger and by war.”

JERUSALEM – Israel accused Pope Francis of “double standards” on Dec 21 after he condemned the bombing of children in Gaza as “cruelty” following an air strike that killed seven children from one family.

Pope Francis reflected on the devastating consequences of the Gaza war in an address at the Vatican on Saturday, expressing deep sorrow over the bombing of children in the Gaza Strip the previous day.

He referred specifically to the wars between Russia and Ukraine, and the Israel-Hamas war. He also called for an end to other conflicts, whether political, social or military.

The pope opened the Jubilee Holy Doors praying that the Holy Spirit would soften hearts so that "enemies may speak to each other again."

Pope Francis in his traditional Christmas message on Wednesday urged “all people of all nations” to find courage during this Holy Year “to silence the sounds of arms and overcome divisions” plaguing the world,

In his Christmas Day "Urbi et Orbi", Francis called for "gestures of dialogue and encounter, in order to achieve a just and lasting peace".

The Pope also addressed the war in Ukraine, calling for the “sound of arms to be silenced in war-torn Ukraine”