Pope Francis and Gaza: Vocal critic of Israel’s military campaign, advocate of two-state solution

Pope Francis, who passed away on April 21, has left behind a legacy of compassion, courage and a relentless pursuit of peace, especially in the context of the war in Gaza. The people of Gaza will remember him for his daily calls to the Holy Family Church, the only Catholic church in Gaza, and his bold calls for a ceasefire, which often irked the Israeli leadership. And, he firmly believed that the only solution to the enduring Arab-Israeli crisis was the two-state solution, allowing both Palestinians and Israelis to live side by side in peace.

 

With his daily conversations with the Gazan Christians, especially in the last year and a half, the Pope left an indelible mark on Gaza’s tiny Christian community and the broader discourse surrounding the conflict. He was vocal in his criticism of Israel’s military campaign, and he always offered unwavering support for humanitarian aid and the two-state solution, reiterating his belief in justice and equality for both Palestinians and Israelis.

 

But it did not mean Francis was oblivious to what Hamas was doing. From the day the war started in October 2023, he condemned the Hamas massacre that sparked the conflict but he quickly turned his attention to the plight of Gaza’s civilians. 

 

His nightly ritual of calling the Holy Family Church, under the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, became a symbol of his solidarity with the besieged community. The Rev. Gabriele Romanelli, the parish priest, noted that Francis’ calls, sometimes made even from his hospital bed, provided spiritual strength to the 500 people sheltering in the church, including Muslims, children and disabled individuals. "They were happy because they managed to eat some meat," Francis once recounted to CBS’ 60 Minutes, highlighting the dire shortages of food, water and medical supplies. His compassion resonated deeply with Gaza’s 1,000 Christians, a dwindling minority in the overwhelmingly Muslim territory. 

 

The daily calls, notwithstanding his health concerns, cemented his reputation as a beloved father figure. The Pope’s last call came on Saturday on Easter Eve, just two days before his death.

 

And even at his final public appearance, on Easter Sunday, the Pope urged for a truce, asking Hamas to release Israeli hostages and condemning the rising trend of antisemitism across the world. He expressed particular concern for Gaza’s Christian community, stating in his message, “I think of the people of Gaza and its Christian community in particular, where the terrible conflict continues to cause death and destruction.”

 

Over the past couple of years, the pope’s criticism of Israel’s military tactics grew increasingly pointed. He called for an investigation into whether Israel’s actions constituted genocide—a charge Israel vehemently denied. In December, he decried the “cruelty” of “machine-gunning children” and bombing schools and hospitals. A month later, he labelled the humanitarian crisis “very serious and shameful”. 

 

Some of his symbolic gestures, like unveiling a nativity scene in the Vatican’s St Peter’s Square featuring infant Jesus wrapped in a Palestinian keffiyeh, designed by Bethlehem artists Johny Andonia and Faten Nastas Mitwasi, further highlighted his solidarity with Palestinians. And it drew fierce criticism from Israel. Many of his Israeli critics pointedly observed that Jesus was, in fact, a practising Jew. 

 

Despite his outspokenness, however, Francis always displayed remarkable interfaith sensitivity. After suggesting the need to study whether Israel’s Gaza campaign amounted to genocide, he clarified that he was not saying that Israel indeed committed genocide. "I was shown materials from the war, and I said that if this is true, then it needs to be investigated." 

 

In Israel, Francis’ legacy was more complex. His tough stance against antisemitism and meetings with hostage families earned appreciation, with Israeli President Isaac Herzog praising his “deep faith and boundless compassion.” However, his criticism of Israel’s tactics strained relations, particularly after the Vatican’s 2013 recognition of the State of Palestine within its pre-1967 borders, a move that disappointed the Israeli leadership.

 

Francis always wanted a two-state solution, which was rooted in his belief that Palestinians deserved equality and sovereignty alongside a secure Israel. His last visit to Israel came in 2014, where he prayed at the Western Wall and expressed hope for peace. His earlier experience in Israel during the 1973 Yom Kippur War, when he was confined to a Jerusalem hotel, likely shaped his empathy for those caught in conflict.

 

Interestingly, Francis was mourned as a champion of Palestinian rights across the wider Arab and Muslim world. Philippe Lazzarini, head of UNRWA, praised his role in highlighting the “dehumanization” of the war, while Hamas official Basem Naim lauded his “unwavering stance” against the conflict. Despite his appeals, the war continued unabated, with Israeli airstrikes killing at least 14 people on the day of his death, according to medical officials.

 

 

Middle East