Madonna Asks Pope Leo to Visit War-Torn Gaza to ‘Save the Children’

Citing a ‘man-made mass starvation’ and the deaths of thousands of children, the pop icon made a direct appeal to the pontiff on social media, saying he is the “only one of us who cannot be denied entry.”

Washington, D.C. – August 12, 2025: In a powerful and emotional plea, pop superstar Madonna has made a direct appeal to Pope Leo, urging him to travel to war-ravaged Gaza to “bring your light to the children before it’s too late.” The singer, who was raised Roman Catholic, posted her message on social media, citing the World Health Organization’s warning of a “man-made mass starvation” in the territory.

In her message, Madonna emphasized the pontiff’s unique position, writing, “You are the only one of us who cannot be denied entry” into Gaza. She also said, “there is no more time,” underscoring the urgency of the humanitarian crisis.

The singer revealed that her plea was motivated by her son Rocco’s birthday. “I feel the best gift I can give to him as a mother — is to ask everyone to do what they can to help save the innocent children caught in the crossfire in Gaza,” she wrote. She was careful to add that she was “not pointing fingers, placing blame or taking sides. Everyone is suffering. I am merely trying to do what I can to keep these children from dying of starvation.”

The message received support from prominent figures, including Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the president of the World Health Organization, who thanked Madonna on X for her “compassion, solidarity and commitment.”

Madonna’s plea comes amidst a growing humanitarian crisis that has seen more than 18,000 children killed in Gaza over the last 22 months, according to UNICEF. Pope Leo has been a consistent voice for peace since becoming pontiff in May, continuously calling for a ceasefire and the release of hostages, and criticizing Israel’s bombardment of the territory.

Madonna is the latest in a series of prominent musicians to speak out, with the members of the Irish rock group U2 also releasing individual statements on the worsening situation in Gaza on Sunday.