Pope Leo Meets Palestinian President Abbas to Demand Urgent Aid for Gaza Civilians Amid Israeli Genocide

Vatican Meeting on Gaza Crisis

Pope Leo met Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas at the Vatican and pushed for urgent humanitarian aid to civilians in Gaza while reiterating support for a two-state solution.

The Holy See described the first in-person meeting as cordial, and coverage noted it came nearly a month into a fragile ceasefire announced after the October 7, 2023 attack by Hamas.

Reports also linked the encounter to the 10th anniversary of the Holy See’s recognition of the State of Palestine.

All three sources agree the meeting’s core message was to assist Gaza’s civilians and to pursue a political route toward ending the war through two states.

Vatican-Palestine Relations

The visit was also charged with symbolism.

Abbas paid respects at Pope Francis’s tomb, acknowledging Francis’s support for Palestine.

The Vatican underscored the 10th anniversary of its recognition of Palestine and of a 2015 Comprehensive Agreement affirming Palestinian self-determination and Jerusalem’s shared sacred status.

Coverage contrasts Pope Francis’s vocal opposition to Israel’s Gaza assault with Pope Leo’s solidarity with Gaza and condemnation of forced displacement.

However, Pope Francis has not labeled Israel’s actions as genocide.

The shared thread across reports is that the Vatican paired humanitarian urgency with a political demand for a two-state path.

Media Coverage of Gaza Aid and Politics

All outlets report the same core agenda: speeding aid to Gaza’s civilians and reiterating a two-state solution as the political endgame.

Arab News adds process details—Abbas spoke with Pope Leo by phone in July and will meet Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.

Vatican News spotlights the broader framework of Palestinian self-determination and Jerusalem’s status.

Free Malaysia Today situates the meeting in the context of a fragile ceasefire almost a month old and references a two-year span since October 7, 2023 when describing the war’s trajectory.

Papal Responses to Middle East Conflict

The outlets clearly distinguish between the positions of Pope Francis and Pope Leo on language and accountability.

Both Asian and West Asian sources report that Pope Leo condemned forced displacement but did not use the term genocide.

At the same time, these sources recall that Pope Francis took a stronger stance against Israel’s actions and was vocal against Israel’s Gaza assault.

Vatican News does not engage with the genocide terminology or compare the rhetoric of the two popes.

Instead, Vatican News focuses on the formal agenda and the diplomatic document marking Palestinian self-determination.

Vatican's Role in Middle East Peace

The Vatican used the visit to anchor current humanitarian demands in longer-term political commitments.

These commitments include recognition of Palestine a decade ago, the 2015 agreement endorsing self-determination, and Jerusalem’s importance to Jews, Christians, and Muslims.

Abbas’s tribute at Francis’s tomb and his upcoming meeting with Italy’s prime minister signal a broader diplomatic push tied to aid for Gaza’s civilians and a two-state horizon.

Across outlets, the consistent throughline is urgent aid for civilians affected by Israel’s actions in Gaza and a reaffirmation that a two-state solution remains the Vatican’s stated route to end the war.