Pope Francis is seen during the weekly audience in Saint Peter’s Square, at the Vatican, Feb. 27, 2019. Photo: Reuters / Yara Nardi.

JNS.org – Pope Francis stepped up his criticism of Israeli counter-terrorism raids in Gaza on Sunday, decrying what he described as “cruelty” for the second time in as many days after Jerusalem accused him of singling out the Jewish state.

“And with pain, I think of Gaza, of so much cruelty, of the children being machine-gunned, of the bombings of schools and hospitals. What cruelty,” the pontiff said after a prayer service.

On Saturday, Francis drew a rebuke from the Israeli government after he accused the Israel Defense Forces of attacking babies in Gaza. “This is cruelty,” the head of the Catholic Church said. “This is not war.”

“In response to the pope’s statement today: Cruelty is terrorists hiding behind children while trying to murder Israeli children,” the Israeli Foreign Ministry stated. “Cruelty is holding 100 hostages for 442 days, including a baby and children, by terrorists and abusing them.”

Francis “unfortunately” opted “to ignore all of this, as well as the fact that Israel’s actions have targeted terrorists who used children as human shields,” the Israeli government said.

“The pope’s remarks are particularly disappointing as they are disconnected from the true and factual context of Israel’s fight against jihadist terrorism—a multi-front war that was forced upon it starting on Oct. 7,” the Foreign Ministry stated.

“The death of any innocent person in a war is a tragedy. Israel makes extraordinary efforts to prevent harm to innocents, while Hamas makes extraordinary efforts to increase harm to Palestinian civilians,” it added

“The blame should be directed solely at the terrorists, not at the democracy defending itself against them. Enough with the double standards and the singling out of the Jewish state and its people.”

Earlier this month, a nativity scene displayed in Vatican City featured the infant Jesus clad in a keffiyeh. After immediate backlash, from Christian and some Jewish groups, it was removed.

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Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar looks on as Palestinian Hamas supporters take part in an anti-Israel rally over tension in Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa mosque, in Gaza City, Oct. 1, 2022. Photo: REUTERS/Mohammed Salem

JNS.org – A resident of the Shuafat neighborhood in northeastern Jerusalem was arrested after she swore loyalty to slain Hamas terrorist leader Yahya Sinwar, the Israel Police said after initial charges were filed on Sunday.

The suspect was identified as the daughter of Barakat Odeh, a terrorist who was killed by police forces while carrying out a ramming attack near the Dead Sea on Oct. 30, 2022, wounding five IDF soldiers.

According to the police, the terrorist’s daughter managed accounts on several social networks under the name “Martyr Barakat Odeh,” which celebrated and glorified Hamas and other Palestinian terrorist groups.

Among her alleged social media posts were pictures of Sinwar and Hamas “political” leader Ismail Haniyeh, along with the caption, ‘We swear allegiance to you, Abu Ibrahim [i.e., Sinwar],” according to the police.

The suspect was also said to have mourned Zakaria Zubeidi—the Jenin chief of Fatah’s armed terrorist wing, the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, during the Second Intifada—and Ibrahim Nabulsi, who led a Nablus terrorist cell.

The suspect’s pre-trial detention was extended until Monday as prosecutors prepared to submit a formal indictment against her.

Earlier on Sunday, two Jerusalem residents were charged with providing information to Hezbollah during the Israel Defense Forces’ year-long war against the Iranian-backed terrorist organization in Lebanon.

According to the indictment, Abd al-Salam Qawasameh and Taar Asili, both in their 30s, were in touch with a woman named “Diana,” a Hezbollah operative. The two men communicated with her via WhatsApp, and despite learning of her affiliation with the terrorist group continued sharing information with her, according to the indictment.

Among other accusations, Qawasameh is being charged with sending “Diana” pictures of the coastal town of Caesarea, where Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s private residence is located. Asili sent news articles about Israel and the security situation, according to the charges.

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Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei speaks during a meeting with a group of students in Tehran, Iran, Nov. 2, 2022. Photo: Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader/WANA (West Asia News Agency)/Handout via REUTERS

JNS.org – The official X account of Iran’s supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, rejected the term “proxy” for Iranian-backed militias on Sunday.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran doesn’t have proxy forces. If we decide to take action [against the enemy], we don’t need proxy forces,” read the text on Khamenei’s English-language account.

This statement follows setbacks for Iran’s terrorist proxies in the Middle East: Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas and Islamic Jihad in the Gaza Strip, the Houthis in Yemen, and the Assad regime in Syria. The text seems to distance Tehran from these events, amid economic struggles and speculation about the Iranian regime’s vulnerabilities.

“They say that the Islamic Republic has lost its proxies in the region,” a related post by Khamenei said. But “Yemen fights due to their faith. Hezbollah, Hamas, and Islamic Jihad fight because their beliefs compel them to do so.”

US forces attacked the Houthis in Yemen on Saturday, while Israel targeted power stations and Hodeidah port after recent rocket and drone launches on Israel. Hezbollah suffered significant losses and agreed to withdraw south of Lebanon’s Litani River. Hamas lost control of most of Gaza, and its leaders have been killed along with many of its fighters.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Friday that Israel had “split [Iran’s] Axis right down the middle.”

Khamenei’s X account on Sunday appeared to counter. “The Zionists try to show they’re the victors. You wretched people! Where have you won? Have you won in Gaza? Have you destroyed Hamas? Have you freed your own prisoners? Is this victory to kill over 40,000 people without being able to achieve even one of your goals?”

Another post added, “You Zionists haven’t won; you’ve been defeated,” vowing that “the courageous, devout, young people of Syria will definitely expel you from there.”

The Iranian rial hit a record low last week, trading at 777,000 to the dollar. Internal protests over economic issues and religious coercion, including women’s dress codes, continue to challenge the regime. Donald Trump’s upcoming presidency may exacerbate tensions, especially after his campaign linked Iran to attempts to assassinate him.

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