Madonna urges Pope to go to Gaza 'earlier than it is too late'

[ad_1] Paul Glynn Tradition reporter

<img sizes="(min-width: 1280px) 50vw, (min-width: 1008px) 66vw, 96vw" srcset="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/240/cpsprodpb/ea64/live/09b628d0-7774-11f0-a97f-3f8d4bbdf2d8.jpg.webp 240w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/320/cpsprodpb/ea64/live/09b628d0-7774-11f0-a97f-3f8d4bbdf2d8.jpg.webp 320w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/ea64/live/09b628d0-7774-11f0-a97f-3f8d4bbdf2d8.jpg.webp 480w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/ea64/live/09b628d0-7774-11f0-a97f-3f8d4bbdf2d8.jpg.webp 640w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/800/cpsprodpb/ea64/live/09b628d0-7774-11f0-a97f-3f8d4bbdf2d8.jpg.webp 800w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/cpsprodpb/ea64/live/09b628d0-7774-11f0-a97f-3f8d4bbdf2d8.jpg.webp 1024w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1536/cpsprodpb/ea64/live/09b628d0-7774-11f0-a97f-3f8d4bbdf2d8.jpg.webp 1536w" src="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/ea64/live/09b628d0-7774-11f0-a97f-3f8d4bbdf2d8.jpg.webp" loading="eager" alt="Getty Images Madonna in a white suit looking serious" class="sc-d1200759-0 dvfjxj"/> Getty Pictures Madonna launched her remix album Veronica Electronica final month

Madonna has urged Pope Leo XIV to go to Gaza and convey his "mild to the kids earlier than it's too late".

The US queen of pop shared her plea on social media, saying the supreme pontiff was "the one one among us who can't be denied entry."

Her intervention got here because the UK, EU, Australia, Canada and Japan issued an announcement saying "famine is unfolding in entrance of our eyes" and urged motion to "reverse hunger".

"Most Holy Father, please go to Gaza and convey your mild to the kids earlier than it is too late," Madonna posted on Instagram. "As a mom, I can not bear to look at their struggling.

Israel denies there's hunger in Gaza.

'Please say you'll go'

"The youngsters of the world belong to everybody.

"You're the solely one among us who can't be denied entry."

The Like a Prayer singer added: "We want the humanitarian gates to be absolutely opened to save lots of these harmless youngsters."

She signed off by saying: "There isn't any extra time. Please say you'll go. Love, Madonna."

In July, the brand new Pope renewed his name for a Gaza ceasefire after three individuals sheltering within the Catholic church in Gaza Metropolis had been killed in an Israeli strike.

In response to PA Information, he stated: "I enchantment to the worldwide group to look at humanitarian regulation and respect the duty to guard civilians in addition to the prohibition of collective punishment, the indiscriminate use of power, and the pressured displacement of populations."

<img sizes="(min-width: 1280px) 50vw, (min-width: 1008px) 66vw, 96vw" srcset="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/240/cpsprodpb/d353/live/6a3d3630-7779-11f0-b15a-09fa5f596b3a.jpg.webp 240w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/320/cpsprodpb/d353/live/6a3d3630-7779-11f0-b15a-09fa5f596b3a.jpg.webp 320w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/d353/live/6a3d3630-7779-11f0-b15a-09fa5f596b3a.jpg.webp 480w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/d353/live/6a3d3630-7779-11f0-b15a-09fa5f596b3a.jpg.webp 640w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/800/cpsprodpb/d353/live/6a3d3630-7779-11f0-b15a-09fa5f596b3a.jpg.webp 800w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/cpsprodpb/d353/live/6a3d3630-7779-11f0-b15a-09fa5f596b3a.jpg.webp 1024w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1536/cpsprodpb/d353/live/6a3d3630-7779-11f0-b15a-09fa5f596b3a.jpg.webp 1536w" src="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/d353/live/6a3d3630-7779-11f0-b15a-09fa5f596b3a.jpg.webp" loading="lazy" alt="Reuters Pope Leo XIV leads the Angelus prayer from his window at the Vatican" class="sc-d1200759-0 dvfjxj"/> Reuters Pope Leo XIV turned the primary US head of the Catholic Church in Might

Madonna - who final month launched her long-rumoured remix album Veronica Electronica - has made impassioned speeches on stage about Gaza because the battle started.

This contains whereas acting at London's O2 in 2023, when she instructed followers: "It breaks my coronary heart to see youngsters struggling, youngsters struggling, aged individuals struggling - all of it's heartbreaking, I am positive you agree.

"However though our hearts are damaged our spirits can't be damaged."

She urged followers to convey "mild and love" into the world - each individually and collectively, through phrases and actions - with a purpose to "convey peace to the Center East" and past.

Within the caption of her newest on-line put up, she famous the way it was her son Rocco's birthday and "the perfect reward I can provide to him as a mom - is to ask everybody to do what they will to assist save the harmless youngsters caught within the crossfire in Gaza."

The star, who additionally requested for donations to a few completely different organisations, continued: "I'm not pointing fingers, putting blame or taking sides.

"Everyone seems to be struggling. Together with the moms of the hostages. I pray that they're launched as effectively."

U2's solidarity assertion

Madonna's feedback come as U2 frontman Bono - together with the remainder of his bandmates - additionally launched an announcement letting followers know the place they stand on the matter.

Whereas condemning the actions of each Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Hamas, the Irish frontman provided: "Our band stands in solidarity with the individuals of Palestine who really search a path to peace and coexistence with Israel and with their rightful and legit demand for statehood.

"We stand in solidarity with the remaining hostages and plead that somebody rational negotiate their launch."

Hamas killed greater than 1,200 individuals and took 251 hostage in its assault on Israel on 7 October 2023. Israel's response in Gaza has killed no less than 61,599 Palestinians, based on the Hamas-run Gaza well being ministry, whose toll the UN considers dependable.

Israel has confronted mounting criticism over the 22-month-long battle with Hamas, with UN-backed specialists additionally warning of widespread famine unfolding within the besieged territory.

On Tuesday the well being ministry stated 5 extra individuals had died from malnutrition, bringing the whole variety of such deaths to 227 together with 103 youngsters.

Final week the UN's humanitarian company stated the quantity of help coming into Gaza continued to be "far beneath the minimal required". It stated it continued to see impediments and delays because it tries to gather help from Israeli-controlled border zones.