Pope Leo XIV and Palestinian leader Abbas meet to address Gaza situation

By&nbspEuronews

Published connected 06/11/2025 - 13:51 GMT+1 •Updated 13:54

Pope Leo XIV met Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas for nan first clip connected Thursday, to talk nan urgent request to supply assistance to civilians successful Gaza and prosecute a two-state solution to extremity nan conflict successful nan region.

The meeting, which lasted astir an hr and was described arsenic "cordial" successful a little Vatican statement, comes astir a period aft nan US-brokered ceasefire statement came into effect successful nan Gaza Strip.

"During nan cordial talks, it was recognised that location is an urgent request to supply assistance to nan civilian organization successful Gaza and to extremity nan conflict by pursuing a two-State solution," nan Holy See said.

The precocious elected pontiff and Abbas had not antecedently met successful person. The 2 said by telephone successful July, erstwhile nan leader of nan Catholic Church reiterated nan request for afloat respect for world humanitarian law, nan protection of civilians and beatified sites and nan prohibition of indiscriminate usage of force.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog visited nan Vatican successful September, gathering Pope Leo XIV astatine nan Apostolic Palace earlier talks successful nan Secretariat of State pinch Cardinal Pietro Parolin and Archbishop Paul R Gallagher.

The pontiff and his apical diplomats told Israel's president that a two-state solution was nan "only measurement retired of nan war," arsenic nan Vatican called for a imperishable ceasefire successful Gaza.

The Israeli authorities has rejected nan anticipation of nan two-state solution, successful what Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has many times said would beryllium "a reward" to Hamas, which has controlled Gaza for 2 decades.

Abbas serves arsenic president of nan Fatah-run Palestinian Authority (PA). The Palestinian governing assemblage nether nan Oslo Accords maintains partial civilian power successful nan West Bank.

Abbas arrived successful Rome connected Wednesday afternoon, and visited nan Basilica of St Mary Major to salary his respects to precocious Pope Francis' tomb.

Over nan years, Abbas had met nan precocious Pope Francis respective times, including a notable 2014 dream for bid successful nan Vatican Gardens pinch Israeli Prime Minister Shimon Peres, during which they planted an oliva tree.

Abbas and Pope Francis maintained predominant telephone contacts aft Hamas' militant attacks connected confederate Israel connected 7 October 2023 and Israel's violative successful Gaza.