Pope Leo has spoken by phone to the President of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmud Abbas, about the conflict in Gaza and violence in the West Bank, AFP reports quoting the Vatican.

It was the first official conversation between the two men since Leo’s papacy began.

“The Holy Father repeated his appeal for international humanitarian law to be fully respected, emphasising in particular the obligation to protect civilians and sacred places, the prohibition of the indiscriminate use of force and of the forced transfer of the population,” the Vatican wrote.

The pope emphasised “the urgent need to provide assistance to those most vulnerable to the consequences of the conflict and to allow the adequate entry of humanitarian aid”, it said.