What Pope Leo XIV might mean for Gaza and the Middle East

As Pope Leo XIV begins his papacy, the global Catholic community - and many in the Middle East and North Africa - are watching closely for signs of how the first American pope will approach the ongoing war on Gaza, the wider Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and regional tensions.

While Leo XIV has not yet made specific statements on Palestine or the Middle East, his background, close relationship with Pope Francis, and early signals of continuity all suggest a papacy committed to peace and interfaith dialogue, and social justice.

The New Arab takes a look at how Leo's Papacy might relate to Palestine and MENA. 

Background and Formation

Pope Leo XIV, formerly Cardinal Robert Prevost, is a US-born missionary and served as a bishop in Peru. He is of Italian, Spanish and Peruvian descent.

Over decades of pastoral service, he became known for his deep commitment to social justice, solidarity with the poor, and the defence of human dignity - particularly among indigenous communities, migrants, and others living on the margins of society.

His ministry was shaped in places where the Church stood as one of the few remaining sanctuaries for the excluded, and where his style of leadership emphasised engaging with people often against hostile state authorities. This grounding in the realities of displacement and exclusion is likely to inform his moral outlook on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the wider suffering across the Middle East.

In his inaugural address, Leo chose his words carefully, offering a broad, inclusive message: "Peace be with all of you." He also expressed the wish that this message reach "all people, wherever they are," signalling a Vatican that remains focused on moral leadership in times of war and rising threats to minorities around the world.

Though brief, the statement demonstrates his likely intention to carry forward a papacy rooted in reconciliation and outreach - one that speaks not only to Catholics, but to all those caught in the crosscurrents of division, conflict, and displacement. It was a tone of moral universality, reminiscent of the global appeal of Pope Francis.

A Franciscan legacy on Gaza

Leo XIV is widely viewed as a direct theological and institutional successor to Pope Francis, who appointed him to senior Vatican positions and elevated him to cardinal.

Francis was notably outspoken on the  Israel's war on Gaza , leading to Tel Aviv effectively breaking ties with the pontiff and high-ranking Israeli officials snubbing his funeral. 

In 2024, Francis wrote in his book Hope Does Not Disappoint that: "According to some experts, what is happening in Gaza has the characteristics of a genocide. It should be carefully investigated to determine whether it fits into the technical definition formulated by jurists and international bodies."

Francis also repeatedly called for ceasefires, humanitarian corridors, and the protection of civilians—statements that many in the region hope Leo XIV will continue to echo.

What are MENA leaders saying about Pope Leo XIV?

Reactions across the Middle East and North Africa have been largely warm, with many expressing hope that the new pope will continue Francis’s legacy of moral clarity on Palestine and regional issues.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas wished the pope success and stressed “the importance of the Vatican’s role in defending just causes,” particularly the Palestinian right to liberty and statehood.

Hamas issued a rare congratulatory statement, expressing hope that Leo XIV would reject the "genocide in Gaza" and uphold the values of justice.

Gaza’s Christian community responded with cautious optimism. George Antone of Gaza’s Holy Family Church said, “We hope that his heart will remain with Gaza like Pope Francis.”

Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi praised Leo XIV’s election and voiced confidence that he would promote peace and love. Sheikh Ahmed Al-Tayeb, Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, welcomed the opportunity to continue interfaith dialogue.

Israeli leaders, including President Isaac Herzog and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, offered official congratulations while urging the strengthening of Catholic-Jewish relations. The rulers of the UAE and Qatar also sent formal congratulations, noting the Vatican’s role in fostering tolerance and coexistence.

Gaza could define his papacy

Though Pope Leo XIV has not directly addressed the Israeli-Palestinian conflict or regional geopolitics, the tone of his papacy and the context of his election suggest continuity with Pope Francis’s emphasis on peace, human dignity, and solidarity with the suffering.

His response to the ongoing situation in Gaza will likely become one of the defining moral tests of his pontificate.