Israel in Gaza: A Just Cause, An Unjust Campaign, by Phil Lawler

By Phil Lawler, Catholic Culture, Oct 07, 2025

Phil Lawler has been a Catholic journalist for more than 30 years. He has edited several Catholic magazines and written eight books. Founder of Catholic World News, he is the news director and lead analyst at CatholicCulture.org.  See full bio.

Responding today to Cardinal Pietro Parolin’s latest criticism of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, the Israeli embassy to the Vatican complained that the cardinal “focuses on criticizing Israel while overlooking Hamas’ continued refusal to release hostages or stop the violence.” That complaint should sound familiar; it has become the standard response to any question about Israel’s war tactics.

In this case, the Israeli complaint is demonstrably inaccurate and unfair. In the interview from which Cardinal Parolin’s critical remarks were taken—an interview that was posted on the Vatican News site, and thus readily available to the Israeli embassy—the Vatican Secretary of State certainly did not overlook the culpability of Hamas. On the contrary, he opened with a forthright condemnation of the “inhuman and indefensible” Hamas terror attack of two years ago. “It was a shameful and, I repeat, inhuman massacre,” he said. Cardinal Parolin continued:

The Holy See immediately expressed its total and firm condemnation, calling for the immediate release of the hostages and showing closeness to the families affected by the terrorist attack. …

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