On Wednesday, Pope Leo XIV renewed his call for a ceasefire in Gaza and for Israel to allow humanitarian aid to enter the besieged Palestinian territory.
“The situation in Gaza is increasingly worrying and painful,” Leo said during his first general audience in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican.
“I renew my appeal to allow the entry of dignified humanitarian aid and to put an end to the hostilities, whose heartbreaking price is paid by the children, elderly, and the sick,” he added.
Israel imposed a total blockade on Gaza on March 2, and in recent days, has allowed a small number of trucks to enter the enclave. However, according to the latest reports, no aid has reached the starving population. The UN said on Tuesday night that its teams were unable to access aid trucks on the Gaza side of the Kerem Shalom crossing.
Since being elected pope on May 8, Leo, the first US-born pontiff, has made several calls for peace in Gaza and other conflict zones around the world. At the conclusion of his inaugural Mass on Sunday, Leo urged Catholics to keep in mind those suffering in Gaza, Myanmar, and Ukraine.
“In the joy of faith and communion, we cannot forget our brothers and sisters who suffer because of war. In Gaza, the surviving children, families, and the elderly are reduced to starvation,” he said.
Leo has also offered to host peace talks between Russia and Ukraine. President Trump noted Leo’s offer in a recent statement on future Russia-Ukraine ceasefire negotiations, suggesting the Vatican could be the venue.
