Israel should be sanctioned over Gaza massacre

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan urges Pope Francis to help end what he called Israel’s massacre of Palestinians, which should be punished with sanctions, his office says, AFP reports.

Erdogan tells the pope in a call that “Palestinians will continue to be subjected to a massacre unless the international community punishes Israel… with sanctions,” adding that the pope’s messages were of “great importance to mobilize the Christian world and the international community.”

The Israeli military launched another series of air raids on the Gaza Strip early on Monday, hours after Israel’s caretaker Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the attacks on the Palestinian enclave would rage on.

At least 198 people, including 58 children, have been killed in the Gaza Strip since the latest violence began a week ago. More than 1,300 Palestinians were also wounded.