VATICAN CITY /PNN /

Pope Francis has condemned an Israeli airstrike in Gaza which resulted in the murder of seven children from the same family in the Jabalia refugee camp, describing the attack as "barbaric".

In his annual Christmas message, Pope Francis stated, "Yesterday, children were bombed. This is barbarity, it is not a war. I wanted to say this because it touches the heart."

The airstrike, which targeted residential areas in the northern Gaza Strip, has sparked outrage and grief worldwide. Pope Francis emphasized the humanitarian crisis unfolding in Gaza, highlighting the suffering of innocent civilians, particularly children.

In an excerpt from a book published in November, the Pope also raised the question of whether the ongoing war in Gaza qualifies as genocide. He called for a "careful study" of the situation to assess if it meets the technical definition of genocide.