He Pope Leo XIV He will meet with the president of Israel, Isaac Herzog, to address the conflict between Tel Aviv and the group Hamas and the precarious situation in the Gaza Strip derived from it.
Herzog will travel to the Vatican on Thursday to meet with the Supreme Pontiff and with the Secretary of State of the Holy See, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, according to press reports.
On the agenda of the meeting, according to the Israeli presidency, there are the fight against anti -Semitism, the liberation of the hostages retained by Hamas in Gaza and the protection of Christian communities in the Middle East.
Herzog had already thanked Leo XIV, during the starting ceremony of his pontificate in May, his call In favor of the “immediate” return of the hostages, The agency said EFE.
The president of Israel, Isaac Herzog, travels to the Vatican on Thursday and will interview with Pope Leo XIV.https://t.co/ecmwhnibxb pic.twitter.com/qtuny9hlsd
– Efe News (@Efenoticias) SEPTEMBER 2, 2025
Five months later, the Israeli president returns to Rome to give continuity to the dialogue with the Holy See, in a context marked by the climbing of the war in Gaza and diplomatic tensions with Israel after the death of Pope Francis.
In addition to the official meetings, Herzog will travel the library and the Vatican archive before returning to Israel on the afternoon of the same Thursday.
The visit occurs at a time when Leo XIV has intensified his calls to respect humanitarian law in Gaza.
“Enough of hostility!” Leo XIV cries before Israel’s genocide in Gaza
Last week; Leo XIV asked to avoid “the indiscriminate use of strength and forced displacement of populations”, referring to Israel’s plans to extend his offensive in the city of Gaza.
Francisco, his predecessor, had come to request that the Israeli operation be investigated as a possible genocide, which tightened the relationship between the two states.
Benjamín Netanyahu’s own government was criticized for the delay in expressing condolences after the death of the Argentine pontiff, and only sent his ambassador to the funeral in April. Herzog, however, did participate in the investiture of Leo XIV.
The meeting between the Pope and the president of Israel will take place in the middle of a growing offensive of Tel Aviv in the Palestinian enclave – which has already left more than 63 thousand people dead, many of them civilians – and, in particular, in the city of Gaza.
Precisely this Tuesday, the Chief of the General Staff of the Israeli Army, Eyal Zamir, told reservists called rows that their troops will increase and intensify their attacks against the Gazati capital, according to EFE.
“We are preparing to continue with the war; we will increase and intensify the attacks of our operation,” said the military chief, according to which the land invasion of the city is already march.
