The head of the Sebastia Diocese of the Greek Orthodox Church in Jerusalem has criticized U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio for his support of Israel's military actions in Gaza.

In a Facebook post on March 6, Archbishop Atallah Hanna denounced Rubio's public display of faith after he appeared with a cross marked on his forehead for Ash Wednesday, Premier Christiain News reported.

Ash Wednesday is a holy day of prayer and fasting in many Western Christian denominations, preceded by Shrove Tuesday, which marks the first day of Lent, 40 days of spiritual preparation leading up to Easter.

Sharing an image of Rubio, Hanna wrote, "A true Christian must stand with the oppressed, the suffering, and the afflicted—not with the oppressors who commit violence and repression against nations," Anadolu Agency reported.

He condemned "politicians who distort Christianity's message through positions that contradict the teachings of the Gospel," calling such actions "an internal enemy targeting the Church from within," Anadolu Agency reported.

Hanna emphasized that those who "take pride in the cross and openly declare their Christianity must also acknowledge the historical injustice inflicted upon the Palestinian people and recognize the need to end this oppression so Palestinians can achieve the freedom and peace they deserve."

He then went on to urge those who openly declare their faith to also acknowledge the historic injustices suffered by the Palestinian people and support their right to freedom and peace, Premier Christian News reported.

Hanna's remarks followed a phone call between Rubio and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in which he reaffirmed U.S. support for Israel as a "top priority" for the Trump administration.

Days earlier, Rubio approved $4 billion in military aid to Israel, aligning with Trump's reversal of conditions previously imposed by Joe Biden.

A ceasefire has been in place in Gaza since Jan. 19, pausing a war that has killed over 48,400 Palestinians, mostly women and children according to news reports.

In November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a case at the International Court of Justice for its military campaign.