Pope Leo XIV has sent 5,000 doses of antibiotics to children in Gaza through the Office of Papal Charities, offering a vital lifeline to young victims of the region’s devastating humanitarian crisis. The gesture follows the Pope’s appeal for compassion and action, voiced during last Sunday’s Angelus, when he spoke of a “spark of hope” emerging amid the violence and despair in the Holy Land.
The delivery, coordinated by the Dicastery for the Service of Charity, also known as “Pope Leo’s first aid service”, became possible after the reopening of border crossings that allowed humanitarian aid to once again reach civilians in the Gaza Strip.
Cardinal Konrad Krajewski, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Service of Charity, said the initiative reflects the message of the Apostolic Exhortation Dilexi Te, which calls the Church to serve the poor through concrete deeds of mercy. “We are putting into practice the words of Dilexi Te, dedicated to the poor,” he said. “It is necessary to act — to pay attention to those in need. The Gospel becomes credible only when expressed through tangible gestures of closeness and welcome.”
With the help of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, the antibiotics have already been distributed to medical centers and families in Gaza, where children remain among the most affected by two years of armed conflict. The humanitarian situation in Gaza has reached catastrophic levels. On August 22, the United Nations declared a famine in the territory — the first in the Middle East — warning that more than 500,000 people face life-threatening hunger.
The Pope’s compassion also extends to Ukraine, where the Dicastery continues to provide humanitarian aid amid the ongoing war. Previous Vatican missions have delivered power generators, thermal clothing, and other essentials to help families survive the winter. From the Basilica of Saint Sophia in Rome — known as “the church of Ukrainians” — trucks regularly depart carrying food, medical supplies, and hygiene products to communities across the war-torn nation.
In recent days, white packages marked with both the Vatican and Ukrainian flags and bearing the inscription “Gift of Pope Leo to the people of Kharkiv” have arrived in the eastern city, containing canned goods, pasta, oil, and other vital necessities.
Through these acts of mercy, Pope Leo XIV continues to demonstrate what he has often described as the “Gospel of proximity” — drawing near to those suffering from war, displacement, and deprivation. Each shipment, each visit, and each prayer reflects his steadfast message: that the Church must stand with the poor and the forgotten, embodying faith through love in action.
“The Pope’s gestures remind us that even in times of despair, charity remains the Church’s most powerful testimony,” Cardinal Krajewski said. “Through mercy, we help the light of hope return — one child, one family, one nation at a time.”
The Vatican confirmed that further humanitarian initiatives are being planned in coordination with Church partners in the Middle East and Eastern Europe, ensuring that papal aid continues to reach the most vulnerable where it is needed most.
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