Pope Francis has said that allegations of a genocide in Gaza should be “carefully investigated” marking some of his strongest criticism yet of Israel’s war in the territory.

It’s the first time that Pope Francis has openly urged for an investigation of genocide allegations over Israel’s actions in the Gaza Strip.

In a book published today, Pope Francis addressed accusations of genocide related to Israel’s military operations in Gaza for the first time, though he does not explicitly endorse them.  The book, "Hope Never Disappoints: Pilgrims Toward a Better World",