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Pope Francis has strongly criticized the Israeli attacks in Gaza, calling the humanitarian situation in the Palestinian enclave "serious and shameful".
Pope Francis was referring to the deaths caused by the cold in Gaza, a territory where there is almost no electricity.
"We cannot accept in any way the bombing of civilians. We cannot accept that children freeze to death because hospitals have been destroyed or that the country's power grid has been attacked," said the Pope's speech, which was read by his adviser.
The Pope was expected to deliver the speech in person, but asked an adviser to do it on his behalf, as the Holy Father is recovering from a cold.
The speech was part of the address to the emissaries accredited to the Vatican from nearly 184 countries. The Israeli ambassador to the Holy See was present at this event.
Francis is usually careful not to take sides in conflicts. But recently he has been more vocal about Israel's military campaign in Gaza and has suggested that the global community should investigate whether the offensive constitutes genocide against the Palestinian people.
In December, an Israeli minister publicly disputed the Holy Father's suggestion.
The war in Gaza began on October 7, 2023, after Hamas – the Palestinian group designated a terrorist organization by the United States and the European Union – attacked southern Israel, killing nearly 1,200 people and kidnapping nearly 250 others.
Israel's retaliatory military campaign in Gaza has left more than 46,000 Palestinians dead, according to the territory's Ministry of Health. This ministry said that more than half of the victims were women and children.
Israel claims to have killed more than 17,000 militants, but has not provided evidence for this claim.
Israel has destroyed large parts of the territory and the war has forced close to 90 percent of the population, of 2.3 million inhabitants, to relocate, often several times./REL
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