Pope Francis defied western silence on Gaza, but Vatican complicity endures

The last time Pope Francis called the Palestinians of Gaza and gave them his blessings was two days before he passed away on 21 April. His funeral was held on Saturday in St Peter's Basilica, drawing mourners from around the world.

Ever since Israel embarked on its extermination campaign in Gaza in October 2023, the Pope - unlike the majority of western leaders complicit in the genocide - maintained close and consistent video contact with the colonised Palestinians.

He offered prayers, encouragement and solidarity to Gaza's small Christian community and to the besieged population more broadly.

A lone western voice in their defence, he is being mourned in Gaza with deep sorrow - even as some in Israel celebrate his death.

In his final months, the Argentinian Pope became increasingly condemnatory of Israel's war on the Palestinian people. He decried its extermination of Gaza's civilians, tens of thousands of whom have been killed, describing its crimes bluntly: "This is cruelty, this is not war."

Despite his personal compassion for Palestinians, Pope Francis ultimately remained constrained by the western political structures that, for centuries, have supported conquest and colonialism. His death may be mourned by Gaza's survivors, but the institutions that enabled their ongoing extermination endure.

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