Pope Leo XIV meets Abbas, urges urgent Gaza aid & ceasefire; marks 10th anniversary of Vatican-Palestine accord and talks of two-state solution.
Newsroom (06/11/2025, Gaudium Press ) Pope Leo XIV held his first in-person meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Thursday, emphasizing the “urgent need” to halt the conflict in Gaza, deliver humanitarian aid to civilians, and pursue a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian dispute.
The 30-minute audience at the Vatican coincided with the 10th anniversary of the Comprehensive Agreement between the Holy See and the State of Palestine, signed on June 26, 2015. The accord formally recognized Palestine as a state, affirmed its right to self-determination, and underscored the shared spiritual importance of Jerusalem for Jews, Christians, and Muslims while guaranteeing freedoms for the Catholic Church in Palestinian territories.
In a statement following the “cordial” talks, the Holy See Press Office said the leaders addressed the pressing requirement to aid Gaza’s civilian population and resolve the conflict through a two-state framework. The Palestinian Authority, led by Abbas since 2005 and representing the Fatah party, claims Gaza as part of its territory despite Hamas’s control of the enclave since 2007.
This marked the pontiff’s inaugural face-to-face encounter with Abbas, though the two had previously spoken by telephone in July amid intense fighting in Gaza and a worsening humanitarian situation.
Abbas Honors Pope Francis
Upon arriving in Rome on Wednesday afternoon, Abbas made his first stop at the Basilica of St. Mary Major to pay respects at the tomb of the late Pope Francis. Accompanied by Egyptian Franciscan friar Ibrahim Faltas, a former Vicar of the Custody of the Holy Land, the Palestinian leader spent about 15 minutes at the site.
He placed a bouquet of white roses on the simple marble tomb inscribed “Franciscus” and told reporters gathered outside: “I came to see Pope Francis because I cannot forget what he did for Palestine and for the Palestinian people, and I cannot forget that he recognized Palestine without anyone having to ask him to do so.”
Broader Context and Papal Comments
Speaking to journalists on November 4, Pope Leo XIV expressed gratitude for the ongoing first phase of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire, describing it as “very fragile.” He also addressed escalating tensions in the West Bank, including Israeli settlement expansion and incidents involving settlers near the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem—known to Muslims as Haram al-Sharif and to Jews as the Temple Mount, site of the ancient Jewish Temples.
“The theme of the West Bank and these settlers is really complicated,” the pope said. “Israel says one thing and then does another sometimes. We want to try to work together for justice for all people.”
The meeting underscores the Vatican’s longstanding advocacy for a negotiated two-state solution ensuring sovereignty, security, and defined borders for both Israel and Palestine.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from Vatican News and OSV
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