Children being machine-gunned in Gaza says pope (3)

(ANSA) - ROME, DEC 22 - Pope Francis on Sunday condemned Israeli strikes on the Gaza Strip, blasting their "cruelty" during his weekly Angelus prayer.
    "With pain I think of Gaza, of so much cruelty, of the children who are machine-gunned, of the bombings of schools and hospitals - how much cruelty", said the pontiff.
    Francis also asked for a "ceasefire" on all fronts for the Christmas holidays.
    The pope had launched the same message on Saturday, prompting Israel to accuse him of having "double standards".
    Speaking during his Christmas address to the Catholic cardinals who head the Vatican's departments, the pontiff on Saturday said "this is cruelty, this is not a war", "I want to say this because it touches the heart", in an apparent reference to deadly Israeli strikes on Friday. (ANSA).