Pope Francis on Saturday criticized Israel's operations to destroy the Hamas terror group in Gaza, claiming that Israel acted with "cruelty."
During his annual Christmas address to Catholic cardinals, the Pope alleged, "Yesterday, children were bombed. This is cruelty. This is not war. I wanted to say this because it touches the heart."
He also claimed that the Catholic bishop of Jerusalem, called the "patriarch," had tried to enter Gaza for a visit on Friday, but was denied entry.
Israel's Foreign Ministry responded to the Pope's statement, saying, "In response to the Pope’s statement today: Cruelty is terrorists hiding behind children while trying to murder Israeli children; cruelty is holding 100 hostages for 442 days, including a baby and children, by terrorists and abusing them."
"Unfortunately, the Pope has chosen to ignore all of this, as well as the fact that Israel’s actions have targeted terrorists who used children as human shields.
"The Pope’s remarks are 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.
"The death of any innocent person in a war is a tragedy. Israel makes extraordinary efforts to prevent harm to innocents, while Hamas makes extraordinary efforts to increase harm to Palestinian civilians.
"The blame should be directed solely at the terrorists, not at the democracy defending itself against them," the Ministry added. "Enough with the double standards and the singling out of the Jewish state and its people."
Deputy Foreign Minister Sharren Haskel tweeted, "Hamas uses children as human shields and targets innocent civilians on both sides. The Pope’s comments overlook the reality of Israel’s fight against brutal terror imposed on it on October 7. The responsibility lies with the terrorists, not with the state defending its citizens."
"In his continued attitude toward Israel, the Pope is undermining 80 years of rebuilding relations between Roman Catholics and Jews since the Holocaust, when the Vatican protected Nazis.
"He is destroying the reconciliation that Pope John Paul ll was so passionate about with the Jews. This is a just war as Israel still has 100 hostages left in Gaza."
The patriarch's office told Reuters that it was not able to comment.
On Saturday, the IDF said that the patriarch had been approved entry and would enter Gaza on Sunday; the IDF added that aid from his office entered Gaza last week.
The IDF also stressed to Reuters that it allows clerics to enter Gaza, and "works in cooperation with the Christian community to make it easier for the Christian population that remains in the Gaza Strip – including coordinating its removal from the Gaza Strip to a third country."