The Vatican’s secretary of state on Tuesday demanded a stop to Israel’s strikes on Gaza, calling the humanitarian situation in the enclave “unacceptable.”
"What is happening in Gaza is unacceptable. International humanitarian law must always apply, and apply to everyone. We call for an end to the bombardments and for the necessary aid to reach the population,” Cardinal Pietro Parolin said in an interview with Vatican News.
Cardinal Parolin urged the international community to do everything possible to end the "tragedy,” while also calling for the release of all hostages by Hamas.
Israel has been under growing international criticism for ignoring the principles of humanity in Gaza. U.N. Human Rights Chief Volker Türk on Tuesday condemned Israel's military actions in Gaza as inhumane and warned of a "catastrophic" humanitarian crisis, urging immediate international action to address the escalating situation.
In an interview with Austria's public broadcaster O1, Türk said Israel's conduct in Gaza in recent months "no longer has anything to do with respect for fundamental principles of humanity."
"It is very clear that we must talk to the current Israeli government very, very strongly and exert pressure to ensure that these serious violations of international law do not occur," Türk said.
The U.N. official expressed alarm over what he described as the mass and repeated displacement of civilians in Gaza. He criticized Israel's designation of large swaths of the territory as military zones.
Israel has denied allegations of ethnic cleansing and maintains that its military actions are in response to security threats posed by Hamas and other resistance groups operating in Gaza.
The conflict has displaced hundreds of thousands and drawn increasing international concern, with humanitarian agencies warning of worsening conditions for civilians caught in the crossfire.
The Israeli army, rejecting international calls for a cease-fire, has pursued a brutal offensive against Gaza since October 2023, killing nearly 54,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children.
Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister, Yoav Gallant, on war crimes charges and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war crimes against civilians in the enclave.
