The Pope Confirms His Right-Hand Man's Statements About 'Carnage' in Gaza

Pope Leo XIV confirmed on Tuesday the statements made the day before by his right-hand man, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, who condemned the "carnage" in Gaza, prompting an indignant response from the Israeli embassy.

Monsignor Parolin, the Vatican's Secretary of State, described the Hamas attack on October 7 in Israel as "inhumane and indefensible," assuring that he prays for the hostages still held captive.

The war between Hamas and Israel "has had disastrous and inhumane consequences," the cardinal added in an interview with Vatican media, expressing his shock at the daily deaths of "so many children whose only fault seems to be being born there."

"We risk becoming insensitive to this carnage. It is unacceptable and unjustifiable to reduce human beings to mere 'collateral damage','" he stated.

"The cardinal has articulated the Holy See's position very well," the pope told reporters as he exited his summer residence in Castel Gandolfo, near Rome.

Leo XIV was asked about the Israeli embassy's reaction to the Holy See, which criticized this interview.

"It focuses on criticizing Israel, neglecting Hamas's constant refusal to release the hostages or to end the violence," the embassy wrote on X.

They condemned the application of the term 'massacre' to both the genocidal attack by Hamas on October 7 and Israel's legitimate right to defend itself.

"There is no moral equivalence between a democratic state protecting its citizens and a terrorist organization seeking to kill them. We hope future statements will reflect this important distinction," the embassy concluded.

Leo XIV also mentioned to reporters about "two very painful years (...) with this terrorist attack resulting in over 1,200 deaths" on the Israeli side.

"Then in two years (...) we are talking about 67,000 Palestinians who have been killed, which makes one think about how much violence and evil humanity is capable of," the pontiff continued.

"We must reduce hatred, return to the ability to engage in dialogue, and seek peaceful solutions," Leo XIV concluded.

On the Israeli side, the Hamas attack resulted in the death of 1,219 people, mostly civilians, according to a report compiled by AFP based on official data.

Israel has vowed to destroy Hamas and launched a military campaign that has devastated Palestinian territory, resulting in over 67,160 deaths, mostly civilians, according to the Hamas Ministry of Health.