Pope Francis and Palestine: The Pontiff spoke out in support of Gaza during the war

Pope Francis wielded enormous global influence and his words often resonated beyond the Church. That's why his comments on Israel's war on Gaza were so significant. They marked a sharp break from the Vatican's historically cautious stance on the Israel-Palestine conflict. Pope Francis condemned attacks on civilians and directly criticised Israel, using words like 'terrorism' and 'genocide' – remarks that quickly drew backlash from Israel and its supporters.