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Pope Francis has called for an investigation to see if Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza constitutes genocide, according to excerpts of a book released Sunday ahead of the book’s release on Tuesday, The Associated Press is reporting. 

It marks the first time that Francis has called for such an investigation over Israel’s actions in Gaza. He called their actions “immoral” and disproportionate, according to the outlet, and that Israel had gone beyond the rules of war.  

“According to some experts, what is happening in Gaza has the characteristics of a genocide,” the pope said in the excerpts published by the Italian daily La Stampa.

“We should investigate carefully to determine whether it fits into the technical definition formulated by jurists and international bodies,” he added.

According to the United Nations’ Genocide Convention, “The definition contained in Article II of the Convention describes genocide as a crime committed with the intent to destroy a national, ethnic, racial or religious group, in whole or in part.” 

Israel’s Ambassador to the Holy City, Yaron Sideman, wrote on X/ Twitter that the Pope had confused the victims with the perpetrators, according to The Jerusalem Post.

“There was a genocidal massacre on 7 October 2023 of Israeli citizens, and since then, Israel has exercised its right of self-defense against attempts from seven different fronts to kill its citizens,” he wrote.

“Any attempt to call it by any other name is singling out the Jewish State,” he wrote.

“Using a civilian or other protected person as a shield for military operations is a clear violation of IHL [International humanitarian law] and is also considered a war crime,” according to The Practical Guide to Humanitarian Law. “This definition is expressly stated in the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC).”

The Iranian-backed terrorist group Hamas regularly uses human shields in Gaza, as they fire missiles and attack Israelis from hospitals, schools and residences.