Controversy over Pope saying actions of Israel and Hamas are acts of terror

RELIGIONS NEWS AGENCY (REDNA) – The Pope’s comments on the Israel Gaza war has caused controversy after he condemned the actions of both Israel and Hamas, as acts of terror.

At his audience last week, he said that the conflict had gone beyond war, and that terror does not justify terror.

He was reflecting on meetings with families of hostages and prisoners, one of whom went on the record to say the Pope used the word “genocide” to describe events in Gaza.

The Vatican denies he used this word. His biographer, Austen Ivereigh, told BBC Radio that the Pope was naming the truth of what is happening and that he believes Israel’s attacks are terrorising Gaza.

The comments were carefully thought out, he said, and the Pope was also calling for an immediate end to the war which has killed 6,000 children in Gaza.