°®Âþµº

Pope Francis on Saturday condemned the bombing of children in Gaza as "cruelty", sparking a sharp response from Israel which accused him of "double standards".

The pontiff made his remarks a day after the rescue agency in Gaza said an Israeli air strike had killed seven children from one family.

"Yesterday they did not allow the Patriarch (of Jerusalem) into Gaza as promised," the pope told members of the government of the Holy See.

"Yesterday children were bombed. This is cruelty, this is not war," he said. "I want to say it because it touches my heart."

In a statement, an Israeli foreign ministry spokesman described the pope's remarks as "particularly disappointing", adding: "Enough with the double standards and the singling out of the Jewish state and its people."

Gaza's civil defence rescue agency reported that an Israeli air strike had killed 10 members of a family on Friday in the northern part of the territory, including seven children.

Israel's offensive on the besieged enclave continues to rock the territory more than 14 months into the war, even as international mediators work to negotiate a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.

Francis, 88, has called for peace since Israel's war on Gaza began on 7 October 2023. In recent weeks he has hardened his remarks against the Israeli offensive.

In late November he said "the invader's arrogance... prevails over dialogue" in "Palestine", a rare position that contrasts with the tradition of neutrality of the Holy See.

In a recently published book the pope called for a "careful" study as to whether the situation in Gaza "corresponds to the technical definition" of genocide, an accusation firmly rejected by Israel.

Since 2013 the Holy See has recognised the State of Palestine, with which it maintains diplomatic relations, and it supports the two-state solution.

Agencies contributed to this report.