Pope Leo XIV urges Israelis to let humanitarian aid into Gaza
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Pope Leo XIV has called on "Israel" to end its military assault and allow urgent humanitarian aid into Gaza, warning of the severe toll on children, the elderly, and the sick.
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Pope Leo XIV is flanked by Father Edgard Iván Rimaycuna Inga during his first weekly general audience in St. Peter's Square at The Vatican, Wednesday, May 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
Pope Leo XIV has urged "Israel" to allow substantial humanitarian access to the Gaza Strip, where conditions continue to deteriorate under a months-long military onslaught.
The pontiff's appeal, delivered during his general audience on Wednesday, comes amid intensified Israeli operations and growing global unease over the humanitarian fallout.
"The situation in the Gaza Strip is becoming increasingly alarming and painful. I reiterate my sincere appeal to allow the entry of decent humanitarian aid and to put an end to military actions, the painful price of which is being paid by children, the elderly, and the sick," the Pope said.
The situation in the Gaza Strip is increasingly worrying and painful. I renew my heartfelt appeal to allow the entry of dignified humanitarian aid and to bring an end to the hostilities, whose heart-rending price is borne by children, the elderly, and the sick.
, Pope Leo XIV (@Pontifex) May 21, 2025
His call for urgent relief follows reports that the Israeli Security Cabinet has authorized the alleged resumption of "limited" humanitarian deliveries through existing entry points.
Axios journalist Barak Ravid, citing senior Israeli officials, said the aid will be managed by the controversial US-based Gaza Humanitarian Fund (GHF), an organization recently thrust into the spotlight after a Financial Times investigation revealed that the initiative would rely on armed private contractors and centralize aid at a handful of Israeli-controlled sites in southern Gaza.
Weaponized aid
The GHF plan, backed by the Trump administration, sidelines the UN and international NGOs and forces Palestinian civilians to travel long distances, often through active combat zones, to receive essential supplies.
Critics, including UN officials, say it risks turning food aid into a mechanism for forced displacement, while providing "Israel" and its allies with a tightly controlled narrative of humanitarian intervention.
UN aid chief Tom Fletcher has denounced the system, saying it "makes starvation a bargaining chip."
Read more: At inaugural mass, Pope Leo XIV warns against exploitation, division
Meanwhile, Pope Leo XIV's remarks land just days after the launch of Operation Gideon's Chariots, "Israel's" latest military offensive aimed at eradicating the Palestinian Resistance.
While the Israeli regime claims the campaign is necessary to eliminate Hamas, the assault has already worsened conditions for over 2 million Gazans living under siege. Ceasefire negotiations, brokered by Qatar, remain ongoing but have yet to yield results.
