While Pope Francis has criticized the war before, this is the first time he has publicly suggested an investigation, according to excerpts from a new book.

ROME, Nov 17 (Reuters) - Pope Francis has suggested the global community should study whether Israel's military campaign in Gaza constitutes a genocide of the Palestinian people, in some of his most explicit criticism yet of Israel's conduct in its year-long war.

The European Union's top diplomat on Monday confirmed he would suggest to members of the bloc that the EU pauses its political dialogue with Israel, citing the country's conduct of the war in Gaza. "Many people tried to stop the war in

Israel's destruction of vital water, sanitation, and food systems has created a "lethal mix of crises," the report said.

A Special Committee of the United Nations Office of the High Commission on Human Rights has issued a new report on Israeli actions in Gaza concluding that they fit the profile of genocide. The report says,