VATICAN CITY, Nov 17, 2024 (BSS/AFP) - Pope Francis for the first time
tackled claims of Israel's ongoing "genocide" of Palestinians in Gaza in a
forthcoming book, urging further investigation into whether Israel's actions
meet the definition.

Titled "Hope Never Disappoints. Pilgrims Towards a Better World", the book
includes his latest and most forthright intervention into the more than year-
long war sparked by Hamas's October 7 attack on Israel.

"According to some experts, what is happening in Gaza has the characteristics
of genocide," the pontiff wrote in extracts published on Sunday in Italy's La
Stampa daily.

"This should be studied carefully to determine whether (the situation)
corresponds to the technical definition formulated by jurists and
international organisations," he added.

The Argentine pontiff has frequently deplored the number of victims of
Israel's operations in Gaza, with the territory's Hamas-run health ministry
putting the toll at least 43,846 people, most of them civilians.

But his call for a probe marks the first time he has publicly used the term
genocide -- without endorsing it -- in the context of Israeli military
operations in the Palestinian territory.

On Thursday, a United Nations Special Committee judged Israel's conduct of
warfare in Gaza "consistent with the characteristics of genocide", accusing
the country of "using starvation as a method of war".

Its conclusions have already been condemned by Israel's key backer the United
States.

It is, however, not the first time that Israel has been the subject of
genocide accusations since the start of the war.

South Africa has brought a genocide case before the International Court of
Justice with the support of several countries, including Turkey, Spain and
Mexico.

Francis has also frequently called for the return of the Israeli hostages
taken by Palestinian Islamist militants on October 7.

That attack resulted in the deaths of 1,206 people on the Israeli side, the
majority of them civilians, according to an AFP count based on Israeli
official figures.

Hamas fighters also took 251 people hostage that day, with 97 still held in
the Palestinian territory including 34 the Israeli army says are dead.

On Thursday, the 87-year-old pope received 16 former hostages freed after
months of captivity in Gaza.