Vatican Archives - CrossFireArarbia

Hamas Welcomes New Pope in Rome

CrossFireArabia
May 8, 2025

Hamas congratulated Cardinal Robert Prevost on Thursday for being elected the new pope, urging him to follow in the footsteps of Pope Francis, who was a strong advocate for the Palestinian cause and condemned Israel’s genocide in Gaza.

Prevost, who will be known as Pope Leo XIV, was elected as the new pope by the Cardinals in a two-day conclave and will be the first American pontiff in history.

Hamas said in a statement it “extends its sincere congratulations to His Holiness Pope Leo XIV on the occasion of his election as Head of the Catholic Church.”

Dear MAGA:

Pope Leo XIV, formerly Cardinal Robert Prevost demonstrated a strong commitment to supporting migrants, particularly Venezuelan refugees fleeing economic hardship. He was noted for his special concern for these individuals, emphasizing assistance and integration into… pic.twitter.com/SEbIHdDXT0
— Brian Krassenstein (@krassenstein) May 8, 2025

“We wish him success in fulfilling his spiritual and humanitarian mission at a time when the world faces profound crises and tragedies—chief among them, the ongoing brutal Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip.”

“We highly value the principled and courageous humanitarian positions taken by the late Pope Francis, including his repeated expressions of solidarity with the Palestinian people and his firm stance against the occupation and its repressive policies.”

“We look forward to His Holiness Pope Leo XIV continuing this ethical and moral path—standing with the oppressed, advocating for justice, and engaging actively within international forums to help end the crime of genocide and ethnic cleansing being perpetrated by the Israeli occupation against children, women, and unarmed civilians in Gaza.”

“We also call for action to halt the ongoing violations against Islamic and Christian holy sites throughout Palestine, and reaffirm the importance of upholding human dignity and religious sanctity everywhere.”

Pope Francis was a staunch advocate for Palestinians and kept in regular contact with Catholics in Gaza amid Israel’s assault. That included daily calls with the priest at the Holy Family Church in Gaza City, the only Catholic church in the Palestinian enclave.

Upon his death, Francis also donated his so-called “popemobile” to Gaza to serve as a mobile children’s clinic.
Pope Leo XIV has not said much publicly about Gaza, making it unclear if he will emulate his predecessor according to the Quds News Network.

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Pope Francis Dies at 88

CrossFireArabia
April 21, 2025

Pope Francis died on Easter Monday, 21 April, 2025, at the age of 88 at his residence in the Vatican’s Casa Santa Marta according to Vatican News.

His death is trending on the social media.

Howard Beckett tweeted: Pope Francis told the world that it is not war in Gaza

It is slaughter. It is terror. It is a cruelty: “Yesterday, children were bombed. This is cruelty. This is not war.” Humanity has lost a friend in the passing of Pope Francis. Rest in Peace.

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Pope Francis: ‘…This is Savagery…’

CrossFireArabia
December 22, 2024

Pope Francis, following the Israeli incitement campaign after his call for an investigation into Israel’s crimes in Gaza: “Yesterday, children were bombed… this is savagery, this is not a war. I wanted to say this because it strikes the heart.”

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Pope Calls For Probe to See If Genocide is Really Happening in Gaza

CrossFireArabia
November 17, 2024

Pope Francis is calling for an investigation to determine whether a genocide is taking place in the Gaza Strip, the Vatican News agency reported on Sunday.

“According to some experts, what is happening in Gaza has the characteristics of a genocide. It should be carefully investigated to determine whether it fits into the technical definition formulated by jurists and international bodies,” he said in a passage from his new book of interviews, Hope Never Disappoints: Pilgrims Towards a Better World, which is due out this Tuesday according to Anadolu.

Pope Francis has said the international community should study whether Israel's war in Gaza constitutes a genocide of the Palestinian people. pic.twitter.com/QqXjrbBHqE
— V PALESTINE 🇵🇸 (@V_Palestine20) November 17, 2024

“I am thinking above all of those who leave Gaza in the midst of the famine that has struck their Palestinian brothers and sisters given the difficulty of getting food and aid into their territory,” the pontiff added, referring to Israeli blockades which only allow a trickle of aid required by over 2 million people into the embattled enclave.

Israel has continued a devastating offensive on the Gaza Strip since Oct. 7, 2023, killing nearly 44,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children, and rendering the enclave almost uninhabitable.

It also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its actions in the blockaded enclave.

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Pope Francis: Gaza, Lebanon Bombings ‘Immoral’

CrossFireArabia
September 30, 2024

Pope Francis, Sunday, said Israel’s attacks in Gaza and Lebanon are “immoral” and “disproportionate.”

During his flight back from a four-day trip to Luxembourg and Belgium, the pope was asked about Israel’s targeted killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Friday’s strike on Beirut, which led to many casualties and reduced many buildings to rubble.

Harsh words from Pope Francis on Israel's bombing of Gaza & Lebanon

"This is not war. This is terrorism."

Israel and Biden have completely lost the moral argument globally. pic.twitter.com/TEJCWuXNy1
— Muslims4Peace (@muslims4peaceUS) September 30, 2024

“Every day I call the parish of Gaza. More than 600 people are there, inside the parish and the college, and they tell me about the things that are happening, including the cruelties that are occurring there,” he told journalists.

“What you are telling me—I didn’t quite understand how things have been — but defense must always be proportionate to the attack,” he added.

The Israeli army has pounded Lebanon against what it called Hezbollah targets since Sept. 23, killing at least 816 people and injuring over 2,500 others, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry. The heavy bombardment also targeted senior Hezbollah commanders and forced tens of thousands of civilians to flee their homes.

Asked about Israel’s bombing of Lebanon, Pope Francis said “When there is something disproportionate, there is a dominating tendency that goes beyond morality…A country that does these things…these are immoral actions." https://t.co/OTzBlkuGE6
— James J. Zogby (@jjz1600) September 30, 2024

Hezbollah and Israel have been engaged in cross-border warfare since the start of Israel’s war on Gaza, which has killed more than 41,000 people, mostly women and children, following a cross-border attack by Hamas last Oct. 7.

“When there is something disproportionate, a domineering tendency that goes beyond morality is evident,” the pope said.

“A country that, with its forces, does these things—I’m talking about any country—that does these things in such a “superlative” way, these are immoral actions,” he added according to the Anadolu news agency.

“Even in war, there is morality to be safe-guarded. War is immoral, but the rules of war indicate some morality. But when this is not respected, you can see—as we say in Argentina—the “bad blood” of these things.”