Islam Times - Pope in Christmas Message: Gaza’s Humanitarian Crisis Extremely Grave

Islam Times - In his Christmas message, Pope Francis has described the humanitarian situation in Gaza as “extremely grave, calling for “the doors of dialogue and peace to be flung open.”

The 88-year-old pontiff’s address on Wednesday comes amid “Israel’s” ongoing ethnic cleansing and genocide in Gaza, which has claimed at least 45,300 lives, including over 17,400 children, since October 2023.

Marking his 12th Christmas as pontiff, Pope Francis also held Christmas calls with Palestinian Christians in Gaza, underscoring their plight as they face the threat of extinction.

As the leader of 1.4 billion Catholics worldwide, Pope Francis has intensified his criticism of the Israeli regime, calling for an immediate ceasefire and improved humanitarian access to Gaza.

He extended his Christmas appeal to other global crises, including the conflict in Sudan, where 20 months of civil war have left millions on the brink of famine.

In his Christmas address last week, the Pope condemned the killing of children in Gaza, describing it as “cruelty.”

For the second straight Christmas this year, Christians in Gaza endure the “Israeli” genocidal war with their main churches reduced to rubble and many martyred in the war.

Referring to an “Israeli” airstrike that killed ten family members, including seven children, on December 21, he said, “Yesterday, children were bombed. This is cruelty; this is not war. I want to say it because it touches the heart.”

The pontiff highlighted Gaza’s historical significance, calling it a “quite ancient city” that has become synonymous with “death and destruction.”

He also reflected on Gaza's early Christian heritage, where “monasteries and outstanding saints and teachers flourished.”