In a final act of compassion before his passing, Pope Francis bequeathed one of his iconic Popemobiles to be transformed into a mobile clinic for children in the conflict-ridden region of Gaza, according to the Catholic charity Caritas.
The vehicle, a converted Mitsubishi, was previously used by the Pope during a 2014 visit to Bethlehem and had since been left to gather dust and rust. Now, it has been restored and repurposed to provide essential healthcare to Palestinian children.
As reported by Newsmax, the Popemobile, known for its open-sided design that allows the Pope to interact with crowds, has been handed over to Caritas Jerusalem. The charity plans to send the vehicle to Gaza as soon as Israel opens a humanitarian corridor. "With the vehicle, we will be able to reach children who today have no access to healthcare children who are injured and malnourished," said Peter Brune, secretary general of Caritas Sweden.
Sweden's Cardinal Anders Arborelius had requested the late Pope, who passed away on April 21 at the age of 88, to allow the spare vehicle to be used to deliver frontline healthcare to Palestinian children. The vehicle will be equipped with medical equipment and a refrigerator for storing medicines, and will be operated by a driver and a team of doctors.
"This vehicle represents the love, care and closeness shown by His Holiness for the most vulnerable, which he expressed throughout the crisis," said Anton Asfar, secretary general of Caritas Jerusalem. However, it remains uncertain when the charity's anticipated humanitarian corridor will be established.
The situation in Gaza has been tense, with Israel resuming major operations across the region on March 18 due to a political stalemate over how to build on a two-month ceasefire in its war against Hamas. This conflict was ignited by the militants' attack in October 2023. On Monday, Israel's security cabinet approved an expansion of military operations that could lead to what an official described as the "conquest" of the Palestinian territory.
The health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza reported on Sunday that at least 2,436 people had been killed since Israel resumed its campaign on March 18, bringing the overall death toll from the war to 52,535. The attack by Hamas on October 7, 2023, resulted in the deaths of 1,218 people on the Israeli side, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures.
The donation of the Popemobile to Caritas Jerusalem is a testament to Pope Francis's enduring commitment to the welfare of the most vulnerable, even in the face of ongoing conflict. It serves as a poignant reminder of the need for humanitarian efforts in war-torn regions, and the potential for such efforts to provide essential services to those most in need.
Despite the uncertainty surrounding the establishment of a humanitarian corridor, the repurposed Popemobile stands ready to deliver much-needed healthcare to Palestinian children in Gaza.
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