Pope Leo Calls For Peace and Aid in Gaza As Trump Sets Off To the Middle East

“Never again war,” Pope Leo XIV exclaimed right through his first Sunday deal with to an estimated 100,000 other people accrued in St. Peter’s Square. The new pontiff referred to as for an “authentic, just and lasting peace” in Ukraine and a right away ceasefire in Gaza. Leo, proceeding within the advocacy of his predecessor, Pope Francis, advocated for humanitarian support to be allowed into Palestine and delivered “to the exhausted civilian population,” including that “all hostages” held through Hamas in Gaza will have to be freed.

“In today’s dramatic scenario of a third world war being fought piecemeal, as Pope Francis said, I too turn to the world’s leaders with an ever timely appeal: never again war!” Leo—who previously has critiqued President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance on social media—advised the group.

Leo’s message comes as Trump embarks this week on his first international travel of his 2nd management, with a excursion of the Middle East. The president is predicted to focal point his travel to the area on trade offers in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. While Trump isn’t lately anticipated to seek advice from Israel, a lot of his travel is poised to be about Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s persevered struggle in Palestine and the United States’ involvement. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth canceled his travel to Israel, slated for Monday, to sign up for Trump on Air Force One, in step with reporting from Axios according to 3 Israeli and US officers.

A United Nations particular committee accused Israel of “ethnic cleansing” on Friday and held that it used to be causing “unimaginable suffering” on Palestinians, and warned that the arena may well be witnessing “another Nakba,” or the expulsion of Palestinians from their land thru violent method.

Over a 24-hour length, no less than 23 Palestinians have been killed and 124 others injured in Israeli assaults around the Gaza Strip over the weekend, in step with reporting from Al Jazeera according to numbers from the native Ministry of Health.

Israel’s newest assaults on Gaza come as humanitarian support and provides have no longer entered the world for over 9 weeks, in line with the UN. “This is having a devastating impact on the population,” a UNRWA Situation Report reads, “particularly on vulnerable groups including children, women, and the elderly.” Over 60,000 other people were killed through the Israeli army operations in Palestine since October 2023, and greater than 111,000 injured, in accordance to Al Jazeera—even though the full choice of casualties is predicted to be a lot higher.

Palestinians, together with kids, who’re suffering with starvation, wait in line to obtain sizzling foods disbursed through the charity organizations, whilst Israel’s assaults at the Gaza Strip proceed unabated. The humanitarian disaster within the area is expanding because of the embargo in Jabalia, Gaza on May 09, 2025.

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