In a recent meeting with Jewish families affected by the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Pope Francis sparked controversy by seemingly accusing both Hamas and Israel of "terrorism." His remarks have since drawn criticism from Jewish groups.

During the meeting, which took place at the Vatican City, the pontiff expressed his recognition of the suffering endured by both sides, stating, "This is not war. This is terrorism. This is what wars do." However, Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni later denied reports that the Pope had used the word "genocide" to describe the situation, stating that he wasn't aware of such a statement being made.

The controversy intensified when representatives of the Palestinian community quoted the Pope as using the term "genocide" to describe the conflict. Meanwhile, the American Jewish Committee (AJC) urged the Vatican to provide clarification on the Pope's comments, expressing gratitude for his meeting with hostage families but arguing that Israel's actions were driven by self-defense, rather than terrorism.

The Council of the Assembly of Italian Rabbis issued a statement accusing Pope Francis of publicly leveling accusations of terrorism against both sides. They criticized "Church leaders" for not condemning the Hamas attack and claimed that such statements placed the aggressor and the attacked on an equal footing, in the name of impartiality.

The Simon Wiesenthal Center, a Jewish human rights organization based in the United States, emphasized the importance of a primary faith leader like Pope Francis recognizing the responsibility of Hamas terrorists for the suffering and loss experienced by their victims. They referred to an attack on October 7 which resulted in the worst mass murder of Jews since World War II.

According to Israeli figures, on October 7, a surprise attack by Hamas gunmen crossing the border into Israel resulted in the deaths of 1,200 people and the hostage-taking of 240 individuals. Health authorities in Hamas-ruled Gaza, however, reported significantly higher figures, stating that over 14,000 Palestinians have been killed as a result of Israeli military actions.

In an attempt to de-escalate the situation, a four-day pause in fighting has been agreed upon, starting on November 24. As part of the agreement, 50 Israeli hostages and 150 Palestinian prisoners will be released. Both sides have emphasized that this pause is temporary.

Newsweek has reached out to representatives of Pope Francis for a response to the backlash caused by his comments. The impact of these remarks and the subsequent controversy on efforts to find a lasting resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict remains to be seen.