Defence right doesn't justify slaughter reiterates Holy See

(ANSA) - ROME, FEB 14 - The Vatican reaffirmed Wednesday that Israel's right to self-defence does not justify the "slaughter" of innocent civilians in Gaza.
    Reacting to the Israeli embassy's calling "deplorable" Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin's Tuesday description of the Israel reaction to the October 7 Hamas attack as disproportionate, Vatican daily l'Osservatore Romano said in a front-page editorial: "For the Holy See the choice of camp is always that for the victims. And thus for the Israeli's slaughtered in their homes in the kibbutzim while they were preparing to celebrate the day of Simchat Torah, for the hostages torn from their families, as for the innocent civilians - a third of them children - killed by the bombing in Gaza".
    The editorial of the Vatican organ continued: "No one can describe what is happening in the Strip 'collateral damage' in the fight against terrorism.
    "The right to defence, Israel's right to bring to justice those responsible for the October massacres, cannot justify this slaughter". (ANSA).