Pope Francis’s Popemobile reborn as medical clinic for Gaza’s children
Once a symbol of faith rolling through the streets of Bethlehem during Pope Francis’s 2014 visit, a converted Mitsubishi popemobile is about to embark on a new mission, this time, as a mobile health clinic delivering urgent medical care to children in the war-torn Gaza Strip. More than a decade after it was last used, the vehicle is being repurposed into what Caritas, the international Catholic relief organization behind the effort, has dubbed a “vehicle of hope.” The initiative, approved by Pope Francis before his passing, comes amid one of the worst humanitarian crises Gaza has faced in recent history. “This is both symbolic and incredibly practical,” said Peter Brune, secretary general of Caritas Sweden, who led the project alongside Anton Asfar of Caritas Jerusalem. “It tells the children of Gaza that peace is possible, that the world remembers them. But more than that, it’s going to actually deliver medical aid to children who are desperate for care.” The mobile clinic is being fitted with essential medical equipment: rapid infection test kits, suture supplies, oxygen tanks, and a refrigerated unit for medication. Once operational, it will support Caritas Jerusalem’s team of around 100 medical staff on the ground. “The health system in Gaza has almost completely collapsed,” Brune said. “This vehicle will be a concrete, life-saving intervention.” Pope Francis, who passed away earlier this year, had long expressed deep concern over the humanitarian fallout in Gaza. In December, after an Israeli airstrike killed seven children from one family, he condemned the attack, saying, “This is cruelty, this is not war.” For much of the conflict, the pontiff made nightly phone calls to Gaza’s only Catholic church, offering solidarity and prayers for the suffering community. “It was close to his heart,” Brune noted. “Since the war began, 3% of Christians in Gaza have been killed.” The pope’s written approval of the popemobile project arrived swiftly after the idea was proposed late last year. It stands now as one of his final acts of mercy, a gesture rooted in his lifelong dedication to the vulnerable. The transformed popemobile is expected to be ready for deployment within a week, pending Israeli permission to enter Gaza. The urgency of the situation cannot be overstated. “Since March 2nd, no aid has been allowed in,” said Brune. “First children froze to death in winter. Now they’re starving. It’s horrible.” The conflict, triggered by Hamas’s surprise attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, which killed over 1,200 people and resulted in 250 hostages, has since spiraled into a humanitarian disaster. UNICEF reports over 15,000 children killed and nearly one million displaced. Tens of thousands more have been injured, many with no access to care. While Israel cites security concerns and pressure on Hamas as reasons for its blockade, aid groups warn that the restrictions are devastating civilians, especially children. “It is forbidden under international law to use civilians, especially children, as tools in war,” Brune said. “We must not turn suffering into strategy.” Brune hopes the popemobile’s second life will serve as a model for future humanitarian efforts. “Today it’s Gaza. Tomorrow it could be Ukraine or the Congo,” he said. “Wherever humanitarian access is denied, we want the popemobile to become a beacon for compassion and medical relief.” As Gaza continues to endure the agony of war, this once-ceremonial vehicle now promises to become something more profound: a testament to enduring hope and the power of mercy on wheels.
