Pope Leo to Israel’s President: Ceasefire Now. Aid Now.

In a face-to-face with Isaac Herzog, Leo XIV demands unimpeded relief to Gaza.

A stern-looking Pope Leo XIV met today with Israeli President Isaac Herzog and delivered his plainest message yet on the Gaza war: there must be an immediate, permanent ceasefire and full, unimpeded humanitarian access for civilians.

The pope’s case was moral and practical.

Protecting children, the elderly, and families is non-negotiable; stopping the shooting and opening corridors for aid is the only way to prevent a deeper catastrophe and begin any credible path to peace.

He paired that appeal with the Vatican’s longstanding position that a two-state solution is the only viable endgame to this conflict.

Even before the meeting, there was noise about optics and who wanted it more.

In the run-up, the Israelis framed the encounter as a papal invitation; the Vatican pushed back, stressing that the Holy See’s practice is to grant audience requests rather than issue invitations — clarifying that Israel requested the meeting.

Inside the Apostolic Palace, the agenda was as hard as the moment: ceasefire, aid access, respect for humanitarian law, and the fate of hostages still held in Gaza.

Herzog, for his part, asked the pope to help in efforts to secure their release, a priority he and his team highlighted publicly.

This is classic Vatican statecraft — principled, persistent, and unafraid to press both sides — but the tone under Leo is unmistakably firmer.

He is keeping Israel’s security and the protection of Christians on the table while making it equally clear that Gaza’s civilians cannot be treated as expendable or starved of aid.

The message to all parties is the same: end the bombardment, unlock relief, and restart a political process oriented to two states and equal dignity, not endless war.

Whether leaders act on that call is up to them. But the pope has placed a marker that can’t be spun: ceasefire now, aid now — because human lives trump every talking point.

Letters from Leo exists for moments like this — when Pope Leo speaks plainly to power and puts children and innocents first.

Our work here is to keep that witness alive after the cameras leave: to report clearly, track whether aid corridors actually open, measure the policy shifts that matter, and follow how the Church under Leo XIV walks with people too often pushed to the margins.

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I’ll see you on the road.