Madonna urges Pope Leo XIV to visit Gaza amid deepening crisis for children

GAZA CITY (MNTV) – International pop icon Madonna has issued a public appeal to Pope Leo XIV, urging him to travel to the Gaza Strip and intervene to save children suffering under what she described as an escalating humanitarian catastrophe.

Her message comes as Israel’s ongoing military campaign and blockade-induced famine in Gaza draw mounting global condemnation, eroding the widespread Western backing it once enjoyed before launching its ongoing offensive on Gaza.

In an Instagram post on Monday, Madonna said that, as a mother, she could not bear to watch children starve and suffer.

She called on the pontiff to “bring his light” to Gaza, stressing that humanitarian corridors must be fully opened to save lives.

“You are the only one of us who cannot be denied entry – there is no more time,” she wrote, framing the appeal as an urgent plea for action “before it’s too late.”

Marking her son Rocco’s birthday, Madonna explained that the most meaningful gift she could give him was to use her platform to advocate for the protection of Gaza’s children.

She insisted her appeal was not about “pointing fingers” or “taking sides,” noting that she also prays for the release of Israeli hostages and acknowledges the suffering of all families affected by the war. “Politics cannot affect change – only consciousness can,” she said.

Her remarks reflect a rare shift for the singer, who in the past had been publicly supportive of Israel, underscoring the growing cultural and political backlash against the war’s toll on civilians.