Israel summons Vatican envoy over Pope's Gaza comments

Israel’s foreign ministry summoned the Vatican’s top diplomat for discussions following recent comments by Pope Francis accusing Israel of “cruelty” in Gaza, according to Israeli news outlet Ynet.

The summons, which took place on Tuesday, was described as an expression of Israel’s disappointment rather than a formal rebuke. There has been no immediate confirmation of the report.

Pope Francis had repeatedly criticised Israel, particularly over the killing of Palestinian children.

“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,” he had said on Saturday.