A car once used by Pope Francis during his 2014 visit to Bethlehem is being transformed into a mobile medical clinic for children in the Gaza Strip, fulfilling one of the late pontiff’s wishes, the Vatican announced.
The white Mitsubishi vehicle, now undergoing modifications, will serve as a mobile health unit to deliver essential medical care to displaced and underserved children in the war-torn region.
The initiative is led by Caritas, the Vatican’s humanitarian organization. According to Peter Bruneel, Secretary General of Caritas Sweden, the idea originated from Swedish Cardinal Anders Arborelius, who proposed repurposing the vehicle. “He spoke to the Pope about it, and the Pope agreed,” Bruneel told AFP.
“The goal is to offer immediate medical assistance to those who lack basic services and to safeguard their dignity and rights,” Caritas said in a statement. It emphasized the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza, where nearly one million children have been displaced and the crisis continues to escalate.
Once a humanitarian corridor into Gaza is opened, the vehicle—entrusted to Caritas Jerusalem—will be deployed to provide frontline care. The clinic will be staffed by a team of doctors and include supplies for wound care, oxygen, syringes, and vaccines stored in an onboard refrigerator.
“This vehicle symbolizes His Holiness’ love and solidarity with the most vulnerable, a sentiment he expressed throughout the crisis in Gaza,” said Anton Safar, Secretary General of Caritas Jerusalem.
Just one day before his passing, Pope Francis condemned “the dramatic and appalling humanitarian situation” in Gaza in his Easter message, delivered by an aide from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica. He reiterated his appeal for a ceasefire and the release of Israeli hostages.
Following the Pope’s passing, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas described Francis as “a faithful friend of the Palestinian people and their legitimate rights,” noting his recognition of the State of Palestine and his historic decision to allow the Palestinian flag to be raised at the Vatican.
Source: ANA-MPA, Translated by: Konstantinos Menyktas
