Pope Leo XIV has sent 5,000 doses of antibiotics to the Gaza Strip in a humanitarian gesture aimed primarily at helping children, made possible by the recent reopening of key border crossings that are now allowing aid to enter.
According to Vatican News, the delivery began this week following the ceasefire and the start of the first phase of U.S. President Donald Trump’s peace plan, which came into effect last Friday after Israeli troops withdrew from Gazan cities and Hamas released hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.
Israel is currently allowing the daily entry of up to 600 aid trucks, operated by the United Nations, authorized international organizations, private sector actors, and donor countries. Just this Sunday, over 170 trucks loaded with humanitarian assistance crossed into Gaza, confirmed the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).
The Papal Almoner: The Pope’s Humanitarian Arm
The shipment of medicines was coordinated by the Apostolic Almoner’s Office, the Vatican body responsible for carrying out the Pope’s charitable works for the poor and those in need, headed by Cardinal Konrad Krajewski.
“We are giving concrete follow-up to the words contained in the apostolic exhortation Dilexi te, dedicated to the poor,” Cardinal Krajewski told Vatican News. “It is necessary to move from words to actions — to pay true attention to those in need,” he emphasized.