Pope Leo XIV urges swift action to address the escalating humanitarian predicament in the Gaza Strip
In the Gaza Strip, a humanitarian crisis of epic proportions is unfolding, with famine now a reality for the first time in the region's history. The crisis, largely due to ongoing conflict and restricted humanitarian access following the 2023 Israeli military operation, has left approximately 1.2 million people under severe hunger stress, according to Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) reports.
The crisis began in October 2023 when Hamas-led attacks on southern Israel prompted the Israeli military to launch an offensive in the Gaza Strip. The operation, which has since caused over 61,000 deaths, also destroyed roughly 70% of Gaza's infrastructure. Approximately 1,200 people lost their lives during the initial Hamas attacks.
The humanitarian situation has worsened significantly since the ceasefire in March 2025. Over 762,500 people have been displaced, and humanitarian aid access remains heavily restricted, with consistent "systematic obstruction" of aid deliveries reported. As a result, nearly a third of the population (about 641,000 people) face "catastrophic" conditions characterized by starvation and destitution.
The crisis is particularly devastating for children, with over 20,000 children treated for acute malnutrition since April 2025. Projections indicate that at least 132,000 children under five will suffer from acute malnutrition within the next year, with more than 41,000 cases classified as severe, putting these children at high risk of death.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres has described the situation as a humanitarian catastrophe of epic proportions, warning it is a reality already unfolding, not just a future risk. UN agencies have emphasized the famine is “a failure of humanity itself” and highlighted that it could have been prevented without barriers to humanitarian aid.
Meanwhile, Pope Leo XIV has advocated for an immediate resolution of the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip. He has also called for the release of Israeli hostages in the Palestinian enclave, with nearly 50 hostages, including 20 alive, still detained.
Elsewhere, the Pope resides at Castel Gandolfo to rest and escape the extreme heat of the Italian capital, having moved on from Villa Barberini, the city that is the summer residence of the popes. Pope Leo XVI has also been advocating for an agreement to end violence and conflict in Ukraine.
The ongoing crisis in Gaza has sparked accusations of genocide from various countries and organizations, with hundreds of thousands of people forced to flee their homes as a result of the military operation. The Vatican, while unable to stop wars, continues to work towards promoting understanding and finding peaceful resolutions to global conflicts.
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