Madonna Urges Pope to Visit Gaza ‘Before It’s Too Late’/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Madonna has appealed directly to Pope Leo XIV to visit Gaza, urging him to help children facing starvation. The singer emphasized she was not taking sides in the conflict but seeking urgent humanitarian action. Her plea comes amid warnings from aid agencies of worsening malnutrition among Gaza’s children.
Madonna Urges Pope to Visit Gaza Quick Looks
- Appeal Made: Madonna calls on Pope Leo XIV to travel to Gaza.
- Personal Prompt: The message was posted on her son Rocco’s 25th birthday.
- Neutral Stance: She stressed she is not assigning blame in the war.
- Humanitarian Focus: She wants “humanitarian gates fully opened” to aid children.
- Papal Response: The pope has previously called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.
- Crisis Data: Over 5,000 children diagnosed with malnutrition in May, U.N. says.
- War Context: Gaza faces famine risk after Israel’s military campaign.
- Israel’s Position: Government denies famine, blames Hamas for aid shortages.
Madonna Urges Pope to Visit Gaza ‘Before It’s Too Late’
Deep Look
LONDON — Pop legend Madonna has made a public plea to Pope Leo XIV, urging him to personally travel to Gaza to help secure humanitarian relief for children facing starvation.
In a message posted Monday on social media — coinciding with her son Rocco’s 25th birthday — the singer addressed the pontiff directly:
“Most Holy Father. Please go to Gaza and bring your light to the children before it’s too late. As a mother, I cannot bear to watch their suffering. The children of the world belong to everyone. You are the only one of us who cannot be denied entry. We need the humanitarian gates to be fully opened to save these innocent children. There is no more time. Please say you will go. Love, Madonna.”
Neutral but Urgent
Madonna emphasized she was not taking sides in the conflict, noting the suffering extends to “the mothers of the hostages” and calling for their release as well. Her message framed the crisis as a universal humanitarian emergency rather than a political dispute.
“I am merely trying to do what I can to keep these children from dying of starvation,” she wrote.
Pope’s Consistent Position
Pope Leo XIV has repeatedly called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. Last month, he appealed to the international community to uphold humanitarian law and protect civilians, saying:
“I once again call for an immediate end to the barbarity of this war and for a peaceful resolution to the conflict.”
Gaza’s Humanitarian Emergency
Aid organizations and medical professionals warn that months of Israeli blockade and logistical turmoil in aid distribution have created conditions in which previously healthy children are now dying from malnutrition.
The United Nations reported in May that more than 5,000 children in Gaza had been diagnosed with malnutrition — a figure believed to be an undercount. Before the war, malnutrition in the territory was virtually nonexistent. Doctors say treatment is often impossible because vital medical supplies have run out.
War Background
The humanitarian crisis stems from the aftermath of Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023 attack on Israel, which triggered a large-scale Israeli military response. Israel’s air and ground campaign has displaced the majority of Gaza’s 2 million residents and destroyed much of its infrastructure.
Conflicting Narratives
Israel denies that famine conditions exist, stating that it has supplied sufficient food throughout the war. Israeli officials accuse Hamas of stealing aid shipments and controlling food distribution to strengthen its grip on the territory.
International observers, however, point to ongoing shortages and worsening child malnutrition as evidence that humanitarian access remains critically restricted.
Madonna’s message adds a prominent celebrity voice to global calls for urgent intervention — appealing to one of the few figures she believes could personally break the blockade’s deadlock.
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