VATICAN, Italy – “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.”
Pope Leo XIV made that appeal toward the conclusion of his first general audience in St. Peter’s Square on Wednesday, May 21, 2025.
In his remarks to Italian pilgrims, he said, “The situation in the Gaza Strip is increasingly worrying and painful.”
International organisations say the humanitarian crisis in Gaza is approaching a breaking point. According to the UN-backed Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), famine is approaching.
What is the current situation in the war-torn Gaza Strip
Amid ongoing war operations that have killed tens of thousands of people since October 2023, aid agencies say the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza has worsened since Israeli bombings on May 20 killed numerous Palestinians, including children.
International condemnation has grown, with demands for Israel to end its military assault and relax humanitarian restrictions, even though the country has allowed a small number of relief trucks into Gaza.
Additionally, the UN has voiced alarm over Gaza’s unparalleled housing destruction.
The pope’s remarks were made a few days after Israeli allies France, Canada, and Britain urged Israel’s government to provide supplies to Gaza. In an attempt to put pressure on Hamas to release the scores of hostages that are still detained, Israel has delayed some supplies since a cease-fire between the two groups collapsed in March.
Why Pope Leo XIV’s first public appearance was significant
The pope’s public audience, his first since his election on May 8, drew an estimated 40,000 people to St. Peter’s Square on Wednesday, according to the Vatican. Since then, he has made a number of public appearances to draw attention to the conflict in Ukraine and the humanitarian situation in Gaza.
In his first public speech three days after winning the election, the pope demanded an immediate end to the fighting in Gaza and urged Hamas to free the hostages still being held there. The conflict in Gaza was brought on by the militant group’s 2023 attack on Israel.
In his first formal address as pope, he declared, “Let all the hostages be released, and let humanitarian aid be given to the stricken civil population.”
Wednesday’s renewed appeal to end the humanitarian crisis in Gaza came at the end of the weekly general audience, a longstanding appointment that popes have kept with the faithful for years. The encounter typically involves a reflection on a theme and ends with brief remarks on a topical issue.
