A popemobile will be turned into a mobile clinic providing medical aid for children in Gaza, in partnership with charity organisation Caritas.
The Vatican said that this was the Pope’s “final wish” for the children of Gaza before his death on 21 April earlier this year. The specific popemobile being refitted was used in a visit by Francis to Bethlehem in 2014.
Approximately 15,000 children have been killed and one million have been displaced from their homes in Gaza since the war began in October 2023, after Hamas launched an attack on Israel. The vehicle will be refitted to hold all the essentials needed for frontline care in an active warzone, according to Caritas.
In a statement released by the charity, Peter Brune, Secretary General of Caritas Sweden, said: “This is a concrete, life-saving intervention at a time when the health system in Gaza has almost completely collapsed.”
The popemobile is currently in Bethlehem, awaiting a humanitarian corridor to open so it can enter Gaza, but this depends on Israel’s cooperation. If the vehicle is allowed into the Gaza Strip, it will be able to provide rapid testing, oxygen supplies, vaccines and medicines.
“This vehicle represents the love, care and closeness shown by His Holiness for the most vulnerable, which he expressed throughout the crisis,” says Anton Asfar, Secretary General of Caritas Jerusalem.
If you’re looking for more hopeful stories from around the globe- try this story on Said Zaneen, the Palestinian saved from Gaza.
Caritas Jerusalem has been providing healthcare in Gaza for many years, despite difficult conditions in the region. They have a team of over 100 people working on the ground.
Since the war broke out in the region, the late Pope was vocal about reaching a ceasefire and reportedly contacted parishioners in Gaza nightly to check in on their wellbeing. He also called on world leaders to consider if Israel was committing genocide against the Palestinian people, a claim Israel has repeatedly denied. In a book released last year, the late Pope wrote: “According to some experts, what is happening in Gaza has the characteristics of a genocide.”
Throughout his time as the Pope, Francis commented on the humanitarian crisis unfolding in Gaza, referring to the Israeli occupation of the strip as ‘shameful’. During his last speech on Easter Sunday in April, he called for a ceasefire in the region and called for all ‘warring parties’ to consider the suffering of the Palestinian and Israeli people.
The Popemobile is part of a fleet of cars that are specifically designed to allow the pontiff to greet large crowds. They were once bullet proof in order to protect those inside, however Francis didn’t like that the glass separated him from the people.
