One of Pope Francis’s former popemobiles is being transformed into a mobile health clinic to serve children in Gaza, fulfilling one of his final humanitarian wishes before his passing last month, the Vatican’s official news outlet reported. The vehicle, originally used during his 2014 visit to Israel and the Palestinian Territories, is now being equipped to deliver urgent medical care in a region where conflict has decimated healthcare infrastructure.
The project was entrusted to the Catholic charity Caritas Jerusalem in the Pope’s final months and is being supported by Caritas Sweden. The mobile clinic will be fitted with diagnostic tools, vaccines, infection testing kits, and emergency medical supplies, including suture kits. Medical staff will operate the unit and provide care in areas with little or no healthcare access once conditions on the ground allow safe entry.
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Peter Brune, Secretary General of Caritas Sweden, described the initiative as a “concrete, life-saving intervention” at a time when Gaza’s health system has nearly collapsed. He emphasised that the project is not only about medical assistance but also a symbol of global solidarity with Gaza’s children.
The late pontiff maintained close ties with Gaza’s small Christian community, frequently calling the Holy Family Church during the 2023 conflict. As preparations are underway for the papal conclave set to begin May 7, this final gesture stands as a lasting legacy of his humanitarian mission.
