Israel accuses pope of ignoring Hamas cruelty after he criticizes Gaza airstrikes

Israel accused Pope Francis of “double standards” on Saturday after he condemned Israeli airstrikes in Gaza at the top of his annual Christmas address to the Vatican’s Catholic cardinals.

During his address, the pope appeared to reference Israeli airstrikes on Friday that medics said killed at least 25 Palestinians in Gaza.

“Yesterday, children were bombed,” said the pope. “This is cruelty. This is not war. I wanted to say this because it touches the heart.”

Israel’s Foreign Ministry panned his remarks, saying that they were “particularly disappointing as they are disconnected from the true and factual context of Israel’s fight against jihadist terrorism —a multi-front war that was forced upon it starting on October 7.

“Enough with the double standards and the singling out of the Jewish state and its people.”