After Israel panned him for 'double standards' following previous comments, pontiff doubles down and accuses IDF of gunning down children, bombing hospitals

Pope Francis condemned the bombing of children in Gaza, calling it “cruelty,” following reports of an Israeli airstrike killing seven children. Israel accused the Pope of ignoring its fight against terrorism and displaying double standards.

JERUSALEM – Israel accused Pope Francis of “double standards” on Dec 21 after he condemned the bombing of children in Gaza as “cruelty” following an air strike that killed seven children from one family.

Foreign Ministry calls remarks 'disappointing,' 'disconnected' from reality in latest tensions between Jerusalem and the Holy See

Israel accused Pope Francis of "double standards" Saturday after he condemned the bombing of children in Gaza as "cruelty" following an air strike that killed seven children from one family.

Pope Francis reflected on the devastating consequences of the Gaza war in an address at the Vatican on Saturday, expressing deep sorrow over the bombing of children in the Gaza Strip the previous day.

I think of Gaza with great sorrow; so much cruelty, children hit by machine guns, schools and hospitals bombed,’ pontiff says - Anadolu Ajansı

Israel's Foreign Ministry swiped back at Pope Francis, whose Christmas address criticized Israeli airstrikes in Gaza as "cruelty."

An Israeli government minister criticised Pope Francis on Friday for suggesting the international community should study whether Israel's military offensive in Gaza constitutes a genocide of the Palestinian people.

Israel allows clerics to enter Gaza and 'works in cooperation with the Christian community to make it easier for the Christian population that remains in the Gaza Strip – including coordinating its removal from the Gaza Strip to a third country,