Pope Francis calls for global investigation into possible genocide in Gaza

Pope Francis has said the international community should study whether Israel's war in Gaza constitutes a genocide of the Palestinian people.

In excerpts published on Sunday from a forthcoming book, the pontiff said some international experts say "what is happening in Gaza has the characteristics of a genocide".

"We should investigate carefully to assess whether this fits into the technical definition [of genocide] formulated by international jurists and organisations," the pope said in excerpts published by Italian newspaper La Stampa.

Pope Francis has previously condemned the deaths of Palestinian children in Israeli strikes in Gaza, and described Israeli air strikes in Lebanon as going "beyond morality".

Last week he met at the Vatican with a delegation of former captives held by Hamas in Gaza, who were campaigning for the release of relatives and others still being held.