Whether Pope Used ‘Genocide’ To Describe The Situation Of Gaza? Dispute Erupts (Image:X/zeta panama)
Vatican and Pope Francis were on headlines once again with an argument over a word which was said to be uttered by the Pope. The dispute between a group of Palestinians and the administration of Vatican broke out on Wednesday after the Pope met the Palestinians in the morning and discussed the ongoing Israel-Palestine war. According to the Palestinians, the Pope used the word “genocide”, to describe the events in Gaza, which the Vatican denied later on the same day.
As reported by the Middle East Mirror, the Roman Catholic head met his Palestinian visitors on Wednesday morning. They were ten in number and those Gaza representatives conducted a press conference in the afternoon detailing their encounter with Pope Francis. They argued that, when they mentioned the stories of the people and families who were killed in Gaza by the Israeli forces, Pope replied “I see the genocide”.
Sireen Awwad Hilal, a tutor at the Bethlehem Bible College made sure of Pope’s comment, addressing the press. Sireen Awwad Hilal is also currently the Director of Bethlehem Bible College Community & Outreach, and was clear that the word ‘genocide’ was not said by them but came from “His Holiness, Pope Francis”.
Shortly after the argument went news, the Vatican countered her statement and denied the usage of the word ‘genocide’ by the Pope. A question was texted by a reporter and to that Matteo Bruni, a Vatican spokesman, replied with an official statement. Matteo Bruni is an Italian-British media professional who works as the Director of the Holy See Press Office of the Roman Curia. He was appointed by Pope Francis in 2019.
When speaking to journalists, the group of Palestinians who met Pope Francis this morning claim he referred to what was happening in Gaza by the Israelis as “genocide”. This was a private meeting. pic.twitter.com/pdkJSs7S57
— Colm Flynn (@colmflynnire) November 22, 2023
According to Matteo Bruni, he was not aware of the controversial term, which is said used by the Pope. “He (the Pope) used terms that he expressed during the general audience and words that in any case represent the terrible situation that is being lived out in Gaza”, added the Press Office director.
Meanwhile the other Palestinian participants of the press meet supported Sireen Awwad Hilal’s statement and said that they also heard the Pope using the word ‘genocide’. They added that the Pope was also well aware of the happenings around the Gaza. The meeting with the Palestinians was followed by a separate one with the Israeli relatives of the Hamas held hostages in Gaza.
The Gaza Strip is currently facing severe humanitarian crisis as the Israeli Defence Force continues bombarding the region irrespective of schools, refugee camps, and medical facilities. So far above 11,000 people were killed in the Strip and the United Nations confirmed above 5,000 in the count were children. Gaza’s major hospitals were also going out-of-service and thousands of people were facing drastic blockade of clean water, food, medicines, fuel, and communication possibilities.
