Pope Francis has said that allegations of a genocide in Gaza should be “carefully investigated” marking some of his strongest criticism yet of Israel’s war with Hamas.

In a new book, Pope Francis called for an investigation into whether Israel’s ground offensive in Gaza constitutes a genocide, sparking intense debate about the war — and also raising questions about the tangible impact that papal statements have on Catholics and global politics.

Israeli draft resisters are refusing military conscription and deployment to Gaza, many in hopes of ending the genocide.

While Pope Francis has criticized the war before, this is the first time he has publicly suggested an investigation, according to excerpts from a new book.

ROME, Nov 17 (Reuters) - Pope Francis has suggested the global community should study whether Israel's military campaign in Gaza constitutes a genocide of the Palestinian people, in some of his most explicit criticism yet of Israel's conduct in its year-long war.

It’s the first time that Pope Francis has openly urged for an investigation of genocide allegations over Israel’s actions in the Gaza Strip.

In a book for the Jubilee 2025, Pope Francis considers whether Israel's war in Gaza meets the legal definition of 'genocide'

Pope Francis has called for an investigation to determine if Israel's military attacks on Gaza constitute genocide. It's the first time he's publicly suggested that Israel may be engaged in genocide.

"According to some experts, what is happening in Gaza has the characteristics of a genocide," Pope Francis said.