More than a decade ago, Mitsubishi converted Is stirred up Francis on the streets of Bethlehem before dust could be collected. Now, in keeping with one of the late Pope's last wishes, Popemobile has been given a second life as a mobile health clinic for children in the Gaza Strip.
Peter Brune, secretary general of the Catholic charity Caritas Sweden, said the initiative was both symbolic and practical during the war that had lasted for more than 18 months.
"We call it a tool of hope because it sends a message to the children in Gaza that peace is possible, there will be peace, you will have a future, and the world has not forgotten you. Then there is a very practical dimension because it will actually provide medical assistance to affected children."
Brune and his opponent in Jerusalem Anton Asfar, Jerusalem, came up with the idea. They were soon arranged to ask questions to Pope Francis. "We received a letter from the Pope, 'Yes, I'm happy to say I fully approve of the idea'," Brian said.
Since visiting in 2014, clothing has quickly started sitting in Bethlehem's vehicles and has undergone rapid testing of such infections, suture kits and oxygen as well as supplies that allow medication storage in the refrigerator.
It will be used to diagnose and treat children who do not have access to health care and to strengthen assistance provided by Caritas, Jerusalem, which has 100 employees on the ground in Gaza. "It was a specific life-saving intervention at a time when the Gaza health system was almost completely collapsed," Brian said.
The announcement was the announcement of electing a new pope a few days before the meeting, echoing Francis’ deep commitment to the people who were fighting the fire. He has long called for an end to hostilities and has objected to the way the war was carried out. "Yesterday's kids were blown up. It's cruel, it's not a war," he said in December after killing seven children in a family in an Israeli airstrike. He added: "I want to say that because it touched my heart."
For much of the past year and a half, Francis called Gaza's only Catholic church every night, and he unwaveringly supported the congregation as they struggled to cope with the pain and destruction of the war. “It’s very close,” Bruen said. “Since the outbreak of the war, 3% of Christians in Gaza have been killed.”
Brian said the transformed tramp is expected to be ready in about a week and negotiated to get permission from Israeli officials to bring him to Gaza.
Bruen described the situation on the ground as urgent. "Since March 2, there has been no aid to Gaza. It's horrible. A few months ago, when the weather was very cold, the kids were frozen to death. Now they are starving."
Although aid groups warn that the Israeli blockade of Gaza is among civilians facing hungry territory, Israel said the blockade and its re-enacted military campaign aim to force Hamas to release the rest of the hostages.
UNICEF said last month that the conflict bombing killed more than 15,000 children, injured tens of thousands, and repeatedly displaced in the Gaza Strip, resulting in nearly one million children, exacerbating the worst of the humanitarian situation since the outbreak of hostilities in 2023.
The war in Gaza was triggered by an unexpected attack by Hamas on October 7, with militants killing more than 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and 250 hostages. Israeli officials said 59 hostages remained in Gaza, more than half of which were considered dead.
Brune calls for assistance. “In the ongoing war between adults, civilians are prohibited, and worse, children are used as a tool of some kind,” he said. “This goes against all humanitarian principles and laws.”
He hopes Popemobile's transformation will set a precedent and pave the way for the reuse of other papal cars. "Maybe it's Gaza now, but then Ukraine or Congo or elsewhere," he said. "Anywhere where humanitarian visits are denied, we want to adopt the principle that the UN General Assembly will represent the importance of humanitarian assistance."