Pope Leo XIV held his first general audience since becoming the leader of the Catholic Church, reiterating calls for humanitarian aid to be allowed into Gaza.

During the audience, held in Saint Peter's Square — a tradition that allows the faithful to see and hear from the pontiff —approximately 40,000 people gathered. The Pope's remarks, primarily delivered in Italian, included an appeal for aid to enter the Gaza Strip.

"The situation in the Gaza Strip is increasingly worrying and painful," he said in translated remarks. "I renew my heartfelt appeal to allow the entry of fair humanitarian help and to bring to an end the hostilities, the high price of which is being paid by children, the elderly, and the sick."

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It has been 11 weeks since aid has reached the two million people in Gaza due to an Israeli blockade. Recently, Israel permitted around 90 trucks of aid into the territory; however, the United Nations reports that none of this aid has been distributed yet.

Aid agencies warn that Gaza is on the brink of famine, with nonprofit groups, including Chef José Andrés' World Central Kitchen, stating that the lack of food aid has forced them to close their communal kitchens.

Pope Leo XIV's remarks indicate a continuation of his predecessor, Pope Francis's, advocacy for aid access to Gaza. However, the current Pope appears to be taking a more proactive stance regarding other conflicts like the war in Ukraine — even offering to host peace negotiations between Ukraine and Russia.

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Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's office stated that during a recent phone call, the Pope expressed the Vatican's willingness to facilitate the next round of peace talks. Meloni's discussion with the Pope followed conversations with U.S. President Donald Trump and European leaders, who sought to see if the Vatican could assist in these negotiations.

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