Pope Leo XIV has sent 5,000 doses of antibiotics to the Gaza Strip in a humanitarian gesture aimed primarily at children and made possible by the recent reopening of key border crossings allowing the entry of aid.

According to Vatican News, the shipment of the medicines began this week, following the ceasefire and the start of the first phase of U.S. President Donald Trump’s peace deal.

Israel is allowing the entry of up to 600 aid trucks per day, operated by the United Nations and authorized by international organizations, private sector actors, and donor countries. On Oct. 12, more than 170 trucks loaded with humanitarian aid crossed into Gaza, according to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).

The shipment of antibiotics to Gaza was coordinated by the Office of the Papal Almoner, the Vatican dicastery charged with carrying out charitable works for the poor and those in need on behalf of the pope, and led by Cardinal Konrad Krajewski.

“We are putting into practice the words of the apostolic exhortation Dilexi Te, dedicated to the poor,” Krajewski explained to Vatican News. “It is necessary to act, to pay attention to those in need.”

Infant formula delivered to Gaza

Caritas Jerusalem has become one of the first humanitarian organizations to respond to the ceasefire in Gaza, quickly mobilizing to address the urgent needs of families and children throughout the Gaza Strip.

Following the ceasefire, Caritas Jerusalem deployed its medical teams to deliver 10,000 bottles of infant formula to families with newborns and young children who had been deprived of basic nutrition during the months of conflict.

The distribution was carried out through Caritas’ network of medical centers in Gaza, ensuring that the aid reached the most vulnerable communities quickly and safely, the Catholic organization reported.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.