Pope Francis steps up criticism of Israel, condemns ‘shameful’ Gaza situation

During the pope’s 21 December address to the Roman curia he repeatedly denounced the “cruelty” of Israeli airstrikes in Gaza and the subsequent deaths of children, saying, “This is cruelty, this is not war” – which some in Israel took as the pope accusing the Israeli military of deliberately targeting children.

In response, Israeli foreign minister Gideon Sa’ar summoned the apostolic representative to Israel, Archbishop Adolfo Tito Yllana, to express his “strong displeasure” at the pope’s remarks, and an Israeli foreign ministry spokesman accused the pope of inciting “double standards” in singling out the Jewish state.

"Cruelty is terrorists hiding behind children while trying to murder Israeli children; cruelty is holding 100 hostages for 442 days, including a baby and children, by terrorists and abusing them," the Israeli statement said.

The incident came after the pope unveiled a Palestinian nativity scene gifted to the Vatican by two Palestinian artists in the run-up to Christmas, depicting baby Jesus in a keffiyeh-wrapped manger and building on the false trope that Jesus – born in Judea to a Jewish mother – was Palestinian.

Pope Francis sits beside the Palestinian Nativity Scene at St Peter's Square in the Paul-VI hall at the Vatican. (Photo by ANDREAS SOLARO/AFP via Getty Images)AFP via Getty Images

The keffiyeh used to swaddle the baby was removed several days later after the Vatican received backlash from Jewish groups.

The pope is usually careful to avoid taking sides in geopolitical conflicts but has become increasingly outspoken with regard to the wars in Gaza and in Ukraine, and in November suggested the global community should study whether the Israeli offensive in Gaza constitutes a genocide.