Shafaq News – Vatican

The Vatican’s top diplomat, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, on Monday condemned what he called the “ongoing massacre” in Gaza conducted by Israel, accusing it of waging a war that disregards the lives of unarmed civilians in its pursuit of Hamas.

In an interview with the Vatican newspaper L’Osservatore Romano, Parolin described the October 7 attacks by Hamas on Israel as “inhumane and indefensible,” and urged the group to release the remaining Israeli hostages.

Parolin voiced concern over Israeli statements rejecting the creation of a Palestinian state and criticized the international community’s inaction, saying powerful nations have done nothing so far to stop the massacre. “It is not enough to say that what is happening is unacceptable while allowing it to continue,” he affirmed, adding that serious questions must be raised about the legitimacy of continuing to supply weapons used against civilians.

On the question of Palestinian statehood, Parolin affirmed that such a state “does not pose a threat to others” and can coexist peacefully with its neighbors. He welcomed the growing number of countries recognizing Palestine, and said the two-state solution is “more necessary and realistic than ever,” calling the destinies of both peoples “intertwined.”