Pope Leo XIV has directed the Office of Papal Charities to deliver 5,000 doses of antibiotics to children suffering amid the region’s two-year conflict
Newsroom (14/10/2025, Gaudium Press )As humanitarian aid gains access to the Gaza Strip, Pope Leo XIV has directed the Office of Papal Charities to deliver 5,000 doses of antibiotics to children suffering amid the region’s two-year conflict. Concurrently, the Vatican continues its support for Ukraine, dispatching food and essentials to war-torn areas like Kharkiv.
In his Sunday Angelus address, Pope Leo XIV spoke of a “spark of hope” for the Holy Land, a sentiment now taking shape through tangible acts of charity. The antibiotics, distributed via the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, target Gaza’s youngest victims, who have endured prolonged hardship. Cardinal Konrad Krajewski, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Service of Charity, emphasized the urgency of action, citing the Pope’s Apostolic Exhortation Dilexi te, which underscores the Church’s mission to serve the poor through concrete gestures. “The Gospel is credible only when expressed through closeness and welcome,” Krajewski said.
The aid follows the reopening of Gaza’s crossings, enabling critical supplies to reach those in need. Even during the conflict’s peak, the Vatican supported Gaza with funds for food and fuel, reflecting a sustained commitment to the region.
In Ukraine, papal charity remains steadfast. The Office of Papal Charities, through Rome’s Basilica of Saint Sophia—known as “the church of Ukrainians”—continues to send essentials to conflict zones. Recent shipments to Kharkiv, marked with Vatican and Ukrainian flags and labeled “Gift of Pope Leo,” included canned food, oil, pasta, meat, and hygiene products. These efforts build on prior missions delivering power generators and thermal clothing to help Ukrainians endure harsh conditions.
Through these actions, Pope Leo XIV extends compassion to those battered by war, offering both material relief and a message of hope to communities in Gaza and Ukraine awaiting peace.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from Vatican News
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