A picture is worth a thousand words.

This photo is contrived, but the meaning is profound. It reminds us about our common humanity. An Argentinian Christian Pope with Palestinian Muslim children. The photo was sent to me by an “atheist Jew”. I am a white Christian.

Pope Francis’s commitment and concern for the people of Gaza is longstanding.

He described the humanitarian situation in Gaza as shameful and likened the war to terrorism.

Late last year, Pope Francis suggested that the international community should consider whether Israel’s actions in Gaza constituted genocide.

In his Easter message this year, a day before he died, he again highlighted the tragedy for the people of Gaza. He said: “I think of the people of Gaza and its Christian community, in particular, where the terrible conflict continues to cause death and destruction and to create a dramatic, deplorable situation. I appeal to the warring parties: call a ceasefire, release the hostages and come to the aid of a starving people.”

Even up to his final hours, Francis was calling the Holy Family Church in Gaza almost every night at 8pm. The church had become a shelter for the enclave’s tiny Christian community and Muslims. A local Christian resident of Gaza said, “Francis was a man of faith who inquired about both Christians and Muslims.”

Over 16,000 children have been massacred in Gaza. Tens of thousands more have been injured, orphaned or traumatised. Many are still buried under the rubble. And it continues with the so-called civilised West actively supporting Israel’s ethnic cleansing and genocide.

A Catholic priest and friend of mine wrote that the photo is a “luminous image. In the midst of the daily horrors, I’ve been listening to the effects in Africa alone of closing down US aid programs. The Francis legacy in death might match what he achieved while he was alive.”

My atheist Jew friend told me that every time he sees the picture of Francis and the Palestinian children, he tears up. It did the same for me.

The photo tells a very powerful story about our common humanity and that we must be concerned for all humanity.

Talk is cheap and we hear it every day in legacy media giving voice to  Israeli and Zionist inspired propaganda . But we are seeing live streamed genocide on our screens. We can’t avoid it. These graphic ‘photos’ of  mass killings will ultimately turn the tide. But it will not come soon enough while the Zionist machine intimidates politicians, journalists, academics and church ’leaders’.

We have lost a champion of justice and peace in Pope Francis. Who else will stand up for the marginalised and forgotten in our human family?