Madonna has urged the Pope to go to Gaza and "bring your light" to the children there.

In a plea shared across her social media channels, the pop star told the pontiff he is "the only one of us who cannot be denied entry" and that "there is no more time".

"Politics cannot affect change," wrote the queen of pop, who was raised Catholic.

"Only consciousness can. Therefore I am reaching out to a Man of God."

The Like A Prayer singer told her social media followers her son Rocco's birthday prompted her post.

"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.

"I am not pointing fingers, placing blame or taking sides. Everyone is suffering. Including the mothers of the hostages. I pray that they are released as well."

Pope Leo has been outspoken about the crisis in Gaza since his inauguration, calling for an end to the "barbarity of war".

"I appeal to the international community to observe humanitarian law and respect the obligation to protect civilians as well as the prohibition of collective punishment, of indiscriminate use of force and forced displacement of the population," he said in July.

WHO chief thanks Madonna

Every child under the age of five in Gaza is now at risk of acute malnutrition, according to UNICEF - "a condition that didn't exist in Gaza just 20 months ago".

At the end of May, the NGO reported that more than 50,000 children had been killed or injured since October 2023.

World Health Organisation director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus thanked Madonna for her post, saying: "humanity and peace must prevail".

"Thank you, Madonna, for your compassion, solidarity and commitment to care for everyone caught in the Gaza crisis, especially the children. This is greatly needed," he wrote on X.

Sky News has approached the Vatican for comment.