TEHRAN- Iran’s president has strongly condemned the massacre of Palestinian women and children by the Israeli regime in its brutal attack on the besieged Gaza Strip, describing it as “the biggest genocide of the century.”

Ebrahim Raisi made the remarks late on Sunday during a phone call with Pope Francis, the leader of the Roman Catholic Church. 

“The horrendous and unprecedented crimes of the usurper Zionist regime in martyring nearly 10,000 people, including 4,000 children and 2,500 women in Gaza, is the biggest genocide of the century.” Iran’s president lamented. 

He also slammed those countries that support Israel’s crimes despite the global outcry against them, saying, “What response can the countries supporting this regime give to the people of the world in the face of such shocking crimes?”

Elsewhere in his remarks, the president described the Zionists’ crimes against the oppressed women and children of Gaza, including its attacks on al-Mamadani Hospital and the Jabalia refugee camp, as clear examples of “crimes against humanity”.

Raisi went on to stress, “The bombing of the Gaza church and the destruction of this historical heritage of the Palestinian nation is an example of apartheid practices not only against Palestinian Muslims, but also against other divine religions, which was carried out with the support of the United States and a number of European countries.”

The president went on to say that “supporting the oppressed people of Palestine is in accordance with the teachings of all Abrahamic religions, including Christianity.” 

The president also appreciated Pope Francis’ stance on the need to establish an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.

Raisi then asked Pope Francis to remind Israel’s Western supporters to speed up efforts to end the Israeli regime’s crimes in Gaza.

He also called for intensified diplomatic efforts to immediately stop the Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip and send humanitarian aid there.

Pope Francis, for his part, hailed the Iranian president’s positions in support of the oppressed people of Palestine.

Underscoring the need to stop Israel’s brutal attacks on Gaza and establish a ceasefire, the Pope said, “As the leader of the world's Catholics, I will do everything in my power to stop these attacks and prevent more women and children from becoming victims in Gaza.”

Pope Francis made an urgent plea for a halt to the conflict in Gaza on Sunday, calling for humanitarian aid and help for those injured in order to ease the "very grave" situation, according to Reuters.

"I hope that all will be done to avoid the conflict from widening, that the injured will be rescued and aid will arrive to the population of Gaza, where the humanitarian situation is very grave," he said.

"Let's think about the children, all the children involved in this war, like in Ukraine and in other conflicts, their future is being killed," the Pope added.

Francis has already called for the creation of humanitarian corridors and has said a two-state solution was needed to put an end to the Israel-Hamas war.

Also, in a phone call with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre on Saturday night, Raisi emphasized that Hamas is the legitimate government of the Gaza Strip and that fighting the Palestinian resistance movement is akin to fighting a war against democracy.

Raisi also praised Oslo’s stance on the necessity of an instant stop to Israel’s killing of civilians in Gaza and international efforts to break the siege on the coastal enclave and provide aid to its 2.3 million inhabitants.

In addition, he said that Iran is willing to work with the Norwegian Justice Ministry to look into the crimes that Israel has committed in Gaza, emphasizing that the regime’s “war crimes” and Washington’s backing for them should not go unpunished.

Raisi pointed out that the large arms and equipment transfers by the U.S. to the Zionist regime are to blame for the nearly 10,000 deaths in Gaza, including 4,000 children.

“The fact that a child is killed in Gaza almost every 10 minutes is horrible and a clear example of ‘crime against humanity and genocide’. The disgusting silence of the U.S. and some European countries along with their armed support for the Zionist regime prove the West’s double standards and its obvious partnership in the Zionists’ crimes,” he continued.

The head of Iran’s government also criticized the failure of 180 UN resolutions to change Israel’s behaviors.