VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Leo XIV called Wednesday for humanitarian aid to reach the Gaza Strip and for an end to the “heartbreaking” toll on its people, as he presided over his first general audience in St. Peter’s Square.

In his first public general audience address, Pope Leo XIV said he would continue his predecessor’s reflection on Jesus Christ as a source of hope during the ongoing Jubilee year, and prayed for peace in Gaza.

Pope Leo XIV on Wednesday appealed for Israel to allow humanitarian aid to enter Gaza, calling the situation "yet more worrying and saddening."