Vatican City: In his first general audience as the new head of the Catholic Church, Pope Leo XIV made a heartfelt appeal for an end to the ongoing violence in Gaza and called for the urgent delivery of humanitarian aid to the besieged region, reported the Siasat.
Addressing a massive crowd of around 40,000 people gathered in St. Peter’s Square on Wednesday, the former Cardinal Robert Prevost of Chicago — now the first American pope in history — began his address by touring the piazza in the popemobile and blessing several infants along the way.
Speaking in English, Spanish, and Italian, Pope Leo XIV said, “I renew my heartfelt appeal to allow the entrance of dignified humanitarian aid to Gaza and to put an end to the hostilities whose heartbreaking price is being paid by children, the elderly, and the sick.”
The general audience, a long-standing weekly tradition of the papacy, allows faithful from around the world to engage with the pope directly. It typically includes a reflection on Scripture, multilingual greetings, and topical appeals.
The pontiff, who began his address with the words “Peace be with you,” also discussed global conflicts, particularly the war in Ukraine. On Tuesday, during a phone call with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Pope Leo reaffirmed the Vatican’s readiness to host the next round of ceasefire negotiations between Russia and Ukraine.
According to Meloni’s office, the call came after consultations with U.S. President Donald Trump and other European leaders, with Trump referring to the Vatican’s long-standing offer to mediate talks. “The premier expressed profound gratitude for Pope Leo XIV’s willingness and his incessant commitment in favor of peace,” the statement said.
However, the possibility of higher-level talks in Rome remains uncertain, as Russia’s President Vladimir Putin is under an international arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court, and Italy is legally bound to comply.
The pope’s call for peace in both Gaza and Ukraine underlines his commitment to global diplomacy and humanitarian advocacy at a time of deepening global unrest.
