Israel's Netanyahu offers condolences after Pope Francis' death

"The State of Israel expresses its deepest condolences to the Catholic Church and the Catholic community worldwide at the passing of Pope Francis. May he rest in peace," Netanyahu's office posted on X late Thursday.

It was Netanyahu's first statement since the announcement of the pope's death on Monday.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog, whose role is largely ceremonial, was among the first world dignitaries to respond to the Pope's death, praising him as "a man of deep faith and boundless compassion".

Israel's foreign ministry confirmed to AFP on Wednesday that the country would be represented at the funeral by its ambassador to the Vatican, Yaron Sideman.

Israel's official response to Francis's death has been largely muted.

Relations between Israel and Francis had been strained since the war in Gaza broke out after Hamas's attack Israel on October 7, 2023

The pontiff condemned Hamas's attack on Israel, but also regularly criticized Israel's conduct during its military operations in Gaza, at one point describing it as "cruelty".