Pope Leo XIV left the Villa Barberini in Castel Gandolfo on Tuesday evening, September 16, at around 8:30pm, greeting several people and speaking briefly with reporters.

Asked about the mass flight from Gaza City, the Pope said he had spoken by phone with the local community and the parish priest, Fr. Gabriel Romanelli.

"Many have nowhere to go, and so it is a concern," he said. “I have also spoken with our people there, with the parish priest. For now they want to stay; they are still holding on, but we really need to look for another solution.”

Earlier in the day, Pope Leo had called Fr. Romanelli, pastor of the Holy Family Catholic parish in Gaza, to check on the 450 people taking refuge in the church compound as Israel intensifies its ground campaign in the city.

Responding to a question about Kremlin statements describing a NATO war with Russia, the Pope said, “NATO has not started any war. The Poles are worried because they feel their airspace has been violated; it is a very tense situation."

Before departing, the crowd offered chants of “happy birthday” and “happy name day”—the latter marking September 17, the feast of Saint Robert Bellarmine—and a group of Polish faithful presented the Pope with a bouquet and a note.

Pope assures Gaza parish of his closeness and prayers

Pope Leo XIV received an update on the situation at the Holy Family Parish in Gaza during a phone call with the pastor, Fr Gabriel Romanelli, on Tuesday.

Overnight, just an hour before midnight, the Israeli army launched a massive ground offensive, with media in the Gaza Strip reporting 37 attacks in 20 minutes, and a mass flight of the remaining population from the northwestern area of the enclave.

According to the Director of the Holy See Press Office, Matteo Bruni, Fr. Romanelli told the Holy Father that the parish—which was struck in June by an Israeli raid in which the pastor himself was injured— “continues to assist the approximately 450 people who have taken refuge there and those who turn to them, distributing meals and water and keeping the internal pharmacy open.”

Moreover, “the oratory also continues its activities, serving children and young people and providing assistance to the elderly and sick, despite the escalating conflict.”

Mr. Bruni told reporters that Pope Leo expressed his concern for what is happening in Gaza, “and assured Father Gabriel, and all those who turn to the parish, of his closeness and prayers.”

After the outbreak of war in the Middle East, Pope Francis began making video calls every evening at precisely 7:00 PM to Fr. Romanelli and his vicar, Egyptian Father Youssef Asad, to check on the condition of all the people of Holy Family.

Pope Leo has also called Fr. Romanelli several times as an expression of his closeness, which goes hand in hand with his frequent appeals for peace.

The Pope’s most recent phone call to Fr. Romanelli came last week, after Israel had issued an immediate evacuation order to the inhabitants of Gaza City.