Concern for international law violation says Parolin

(ANSA) - ROME, MAR 24 - Vatican Secretary of State Pietro Parolin on Monday expressed concern for the "systematic violation" of international law after Israel's embassy to the Holy See issued a note saying that the Israeli operation in the Gaza Strip was being conducted in compliance with international legislation in response to Pope Francis's expressed sadness for "the resumption of heavy Israeli bombings" in his Angelus message.
    "We hope this is the case because we are very worried by the systematic violation at this point of international law", said Cardinal Parolin concerning the note.
    "The Pope's silence today sounds even more deafening regarding the resumption of fighting in many parts of the world, but it is a call to stop, to find paths of dialogue and peace", added Parolin.
    "We have also recently spoken with the International Red Cross and they are very much in difficulty, the bombing of civilians, the killing of humanitarian operators are all actions that go exactly against humanitarian law and today there is no respect for the law and this is one of the great limits of this season: there is no respect for humanitarian law anymore", he noted.
    Israel's embassy to the Holy See said Monday that the Israeli operation in the Gaza Strip complied by international law and intended to minimize civilian casualties.
    "While Hamas deliberately targets civilians", Israel adopts "extraordinary measures" to reduce to a minimum collateral damage, said the statement released "in reference to the Angelus".
    "Hamas has repeatedly violated the ceasefire and has used it to rebuild its military arsenal", the note went on to say, adding that "59 hostages are still detained in Gaza in inhuman conditions" and the "State of Israel believes it is its moral duty to bring them back home".
    In his Angelus message on Sunday the pope said he was "saddened by the resumption of heavy Israeli bombings on the Gaza Strip, with many dead and wounded.
    "I ask that the weapons be silenced immediately; and that we have the courage to resume dialogue, so that all the hostages may be freed and a definitive ceasefire may be reached.
    "In the Strip, the humanitarian situation is once again very serious and requires the urgent commitment of the warring parties and the international community," the pontiff added.
    (ANSA).