Pope Leo XIV received on Thursday, November 6, 2025, the President of the State of Palestine, Mahmoud Abbas, in audience at the Apostolic Palace of the Vatican, on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the Comprehensive Agreement signed between the Holy See and the State of Palestine. The meeting was announced by the Holy See Press Office.
During the dialogue, the urgency of assisting the civilian population in the Gaza Strip and of working decisively for a two-State solution as a way to achieve peace in the region was highlighted. The Pontiff called for the immediate facilitation of the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza, and recalled that “there is no future based on violence, forced exile, or revenge”.
Focus on Humanitarian Aid and Peace
The Vatican communiqué highlights that both parties recognized the urgent nature of relief for the civilian population and the end of the “tragic situation in Gaza.” The Pope has condemned forced displacement and collective punishment, and has insisted that “respecting our borders and respecting human dignity have never been opposing objectives.”
Let us recall that in previous audiences, Leo XIV had called for a permanent ceasefire, the release of hostages, and full respect for International Humanitarian Law, in the context of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
A Diplomacy of Accompaniment from the Vatican
The audience marks a new moment in the Vatican’s diplomacy regarding the Holy Land. According to data published by Vatican News, the Pontiff and the Palestinian delegation agreed that the Comprehensive Agreement signed in 2015 provides a framework for collaboration that must be renewed in this context of humanitarian crisis. Furthermore, the Pope’s message reaffirms the role of the Holy See as an actor in mediation and accompaniment in peace processes.