Pope Francis faces backlash from pro-Israel groups over 'terrorism' comments

Pope Francis has drawn backlash from some pro-Israeli groups about comments he made last week that appeared to accuse Israel of committing terrorism in Gaza.

The pontiff’s comments came after he met Jewish families with relatives currently being held hostage by Hamas, and Palestinians with families trapped in the Gaza Strip.

He told an audience at St. Peter's Square in the Vatican City that he recognised suffering on both sides, saying: "This is what wars do. But here we have gone beyond wars. This is not war. This is terrorism."

At a news conference later on Wednesday, representatives of Palestinians who met with the pope quoted him as using the word "genocide" to describe the situation in Gaza - though a Vatican spokesman later claimed that he was not aware of the Pope using that word.

In a statement on social media platform X, the American Jewish Council wrote it was "grateful" to the pope for meeting with hostage families but added: "Later in the day, he described the Israel-Hamas war as 'beyond war,' as 'terrorism.' Hamas' butchering and kidnapping of civilians is terrorism. Israel's self-defence is not. Vatican, please clarify.”

US-based Jewish human rights organisation, the Simon Wiesenthal Center, wrote on its website: "It was important for one of the world's primary faith leaders ... not to forget that all those who came to speak and seek solace from him all their suffering, all their loss, are on the hands of the Hamas terrorists who, on October 7th, inflicted ... the worst mass murder of Jews since the defeat of Nazi Germany and World War II."

While many Israelis and those who support it consider the war on Gaza to be an act of self-defence, others strongly disagree. Human rights groups, heads of states and UN officials have viewed the Gaza assault as an act of revenge and collective punishment, with alleged war crimes and multiple violations of international law committed by Israeli forces on a massive scale.

Israel has killed almost 15,000 Palestinians, including more than 6,000 children, in its relentless bombardment of Gaza that began on 7 October.

Vast sections of the Gaza Strip have been turned to dust as Israel struck civilian infrastructure, including schools and hospitals.

At least 1.7 million people in Gaza have been forcibly displaced from their homes; many have been pushed into the south of the enclave, which also faced an assault from Israel until the recent four-day ceasefire.

Even some of Israel's allies, such as the UK and France, have recently called out the huge amount of civilians killed during its war on the Palestinian territory.