Pope Leo XIV met Palestinian Authority (PA) chairman Mahmoud Abbas for the first time on Thursday, in a meeting described by the Vatican as “cordial”, reported The Associated Press.
The two discussed humanitarian aid for Gaza and the pursuit of a two-state solution to end the regional conflict.
The meeting lasted about an hour and comes nearly a month after the US-brokered ceasefire in the Gaza Strip took effect. According to a statement from the Holy See, “During the cordial talks, it was recognized that there is an urgent need to provide assistance to the civilian population in Gaza and to end the conflict by pursuing a two-State solution.”
The pope and Abbas had previously spoken by phone in July regarding developments in Gaza and Judea and Samaria, but had not met in person until now.
In September, Pope Leo and senior Vatican officials told President Isaac Herzog that a two-state solution was “the only way out of the war,” while calling for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza.
Also that month, Pope Leo decried the "unacceptable" conditions faced by Gazans, expressing his solidarity with civilians and reiterating his plea for a ceasefire in the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas.
In May, Pope Leo used his first address after his election as head of the Catholic Church to call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and the release of all hostages held by Hamas.
Abbas had arrived in Rome on Wednesday to mark the tenth anniversary of the “Comprehensive Agreement between the Holy See and the State of Palestine.” He also visited the Basilica of St. Mary Major to pay respects at the tomb of the late Pope Francis, who passed away in late April following an illness, and who had several times sparked controversy when he sided with the Palestinian Arabs over Israel.
Abbas had met Pope Francis several times in the past and maintained frequent phone contact with him following Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attacks and Israel’s military response in Gaza.
During a 2015 meeting with Abbas, Pope Frances referred to the PA chairman as "an angel of peace", causing outrage on social media.
The Vatican later explained that the reference was mistranslated, and in fact was meant as encouragement for Abbas to pursue peace with Israel.