Pope Leo XIV on Thursday received Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas at the Vatican for discussions focused on the ongoing conflict in the Middle East and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
According to a statement from the Holy See, the meeting was described as “cordial” and centred on the shared view that lasting peace in the region can only be achieved through a two-state solution, allowing both Israel and Palestine to coexist peacefully within secure borders.
The encounter marked the first face-to-face meeting between Pope Leo, aged 70, and President Abbas, 89. Both leaders expressed concern over the escalating violence in the Gaza Strip and emphasised the urgent need for international efforts to deliver humanitarian aid to affected civilians.
The Vatican reaffirmed its long-standing position in support of dialogue, mutual respect, and diplomacy as the only viable path to peace in the region. It also renewed its call for all parties to prioritise civilian protection amid the ongoing conflict.
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President Abbas’s visit follows his previous audience with Pope Francis in December 2024, during which similar appeals were made for peace, justice, and respect for human rights in the Middle East.
Abbas, who has led the Palestinian Authority since his election in 2005, continues to govern parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank. However, the Authority lost control of the Gaza Strip in 2007, when the Islamist group Hamas seized power.
The latest meeting between the Vatican and Palestinian leadership underscores renewed diplomatic attention on the Middle East, as regional and global actors seek de-escalation and a pathway to sustainable peace.PO
