ROME − Pope Francis has urged the international community to examine whether Israel’s military operations in Gaza amount to genocide against the Palestinian population, marking one of his strongest critiques of Israel amidst its protracted conflict over the past year.

In excerpts released on Sunday from an upcoming book, the pope mentioned that some global experts argue that “the situation in Gaza bears the hallmarks of genocide.”

“We must conduct a thorough investigation to determine if this aligns with the formal definition (of genocide) established by international legal specialists and organizations,” he stated in the excerpts published by La Stampa, an Italian newspaper.

Last December, South Africa brought a case against Israel to the International Court of Justice, alleging breaches of the Genocide Convention. In January, the court instructed Israel to ensure its military forces refrain from committing acts of genocide. A ruling on whether genocide has occurred in Gaza has yet to be made.

Israel asserts that claims of genocide regarding its actions in Gaza are unfounded, maintaining that it is actively targeting Hamas and other militant entities.

“Following today’s report from Vatican News: An act of genocide occurred on October 7, 2023, targeting Israeli citizens, prompting Israel to exercise its right to self-defense against threats on multiple fronts,” commented Yaron Sideman, Israel’s ambassador to the Holy See.

“Any attempt to categorize it differently is a form of targeting the Jewish state,” he expressed on social media.

The Vatican has not commented on Francis’ recent statements, although its news site did report on the book excerpts, including the genocide assertion.

Pope Francis, who leads the 1.4 billion-member Catholic Church, typically refrains from taking sides in global disputes and emphasizes the need for de-escalation. However, he has recently intensified his critiques of Israel’s actions in its conflict with Hamas.

In September, he lamented the fatalities of Palestinian children as a result of Israeli airstrikes in Gaza and condemned Israeli air assaults in Lebanon as actions that surpass moral bounds.

Israel initiated its operations in Gaza following the Hamas-led attack on southern Israeli regions on October 7, 2023, which resulted in approximately 1,200 deaths and 250 individuals taken hostage, as reported by Israeli figures.

As a result of Israel’s ground and air offensive, over 43,800 individuals have reportedly died in Gaza, according to the Gaza health ministry.

Pope Francis has not previously referred to the situation in Gaza as genocide publicly. However, he faced controversy last year after a meeting with a group of Palestinians at the Vatican, where they claimed he used the term privately, while the Vatican denied that he did.

Last week, Francis met with a group of former hostages taken by Hamas in Gaza, who are advocating for the release of their loved ones and others still in captivity.