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Madonna Makes Emotional Plea for Pope to Visit Gaza’s Children

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2 months ago

August 13, 2025

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Madonna calls on Pope Leo XIV: “Please go to Gaza before it’s too late”

Music legend Madonna has made a direct appeal to Pope Leo XIV, urging him to travel to Gaza and offer hope to children living through one of the most severe humanitarian crises in recent history. Her message, posted to millions of Instagram followers, was as much a plea as it was a warning: “You are the only one of us who cannot be denied entry.”

She wrote, “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 post came with a call to “fully open the humanitarian gates” to save innocent lives.

Rising global concern over famine

The appeal landed as international pressure on Israel mounted. A joint statement from the UK, EU, Australia, Canada, and Japan described famine in Gaza as “unfolding in front of our eyes” and called for urgent action to reverse starvation.

UN-backed experts have warned that the “worst-case scenario of famine” is already playing out. Israel denies there is starvation in the territory, instead accusing UN agencies of failing to collect and distribute aid from border areas. The UN’s humanitarian agency says the volume of aid entering Gaza is still far below what is needed, citing continued restrictions and delays.

A Pope with a history of speaking out

Pope Leo XIV, the first US-born head of the Catholic Church, has repeatedly addressed the conflict since taking office in May. In July, following the killing of three people sheltering inside Gaza City’s Catholic church during an Israeli strike, he called on the global community to protect civilians and uphold humanitarian law, condemning the indiscriminate use of force and collective punishment.

Madonna’s activism on Gaza

Madonna’s call to the Pope builds on more than a year of public commentary on the crisis. In 2023, during a concert at London’s O2 Arena, she told fans that seeing “children suffering, teenagers suffering, elderly people suffering” broke her heart. She urged audiences to bring “light and love” into the world to help create peace in the Middle East.

In her latest post, the singer tied her message to her son Rocco’s birthday, calling it “the best gift” she could give: asking everyone to do what they can for “innocent children caught in the crossfire.” She also stressed she was “not pointing fingers” and called for the release of hostages.

Other artists speak out

Madonna’s message comes alongside a statement from U2 frontman Bono, who condemned both Israel’s leadership and Hamas while voicing solidarity with Palestinians seeking peace and statehood. He also urged for the release of the remaining hostages, calling for rational negotiation.

The war’s human toll remains staggering. The Hamas-run Gaza health ministry, a source the UN deems reliable, reports more than 61,599 Palestinians killed by Israeli strikes since 7 October 2023, alongside 227 deaths from malnutrition, including 103 children. Hamas’s attack on Israel on that date killed over 1,200 people and saw 251 taken hostage.

For Madonna, the hope is that one of the most influential religious voices on earth will take a step no one else can, in the belief that such a visit could bring both moral light and urgent humanitarian action to Gaza.