Vatican City: Pope Leo XIV held his first meeting with Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas on Thursday, where the Vatican said they discussed the "urgent need" to help the civilian population in Gaza.

Abbas and Leo spoke by telephone in July but Thursday was their first in-person meeting since the American took over as head of the world's 1.4 billion Catholics in May.

"During the cordial talks, it was recognised that there is an urgent need to provide assistance to the civilian population in Gaza and to end the conflict by pursuing a two-state solution," the Vatican said in a statement afterwards.

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Abbas met several times with Leo's predecessor, Pope Francis, who died in April.

On Wednesday afternoon, Abbas laid flowers at Francis's tomb at the Rome basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore.

"I cannot forget what he did for Palestine and the Palestinian people," Abbas told reporters.

In 2014, then-Israeli president Shimon Peres and Abbas joined a prayer for peace with Pope Francis at the Vatican, planting an olive tree together.

Abbas will on Friday meet with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.

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