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The Popemobile of peace: Pope Francis' final gift to the children of Gaza
Pope Francis waves from his "Popemobile" as he arrives at the Kasarani Sport Stadium in Nairobi on November 27, 2015.
One of Pope Francis' popemobiles will be transformed into a mobile health clinic for children in Gaza, fulfilling one of his last wishes, the Vatican's official media said on Sunday.
The Pope's legacy of peace continues to illuminate our conflict-ridden world through this extraordinary gesture. The very vehicle from which he blessed millions of believers around the world will now bring healing to children caught up in one of the world's most devastating humanitarian crises.
Pope Francis at the Kangemi slums on the outskirts of Kenya's capital Nairobi on November 27, 2015.
This remarkable initiative was one of Pope Francis' last directives, entrusted to Caritas Jerusalem in his final months. The decision reflects the Pope's consistent solidarity with the people of Gaza throughout his pontificate, especially as conditions have deteriorated in recent years.
The humanitarian situation in Gaza has reached catastrophic proportions, with nearly one million children displaced amid a devastating conflict. With collapsed infrastructure, a crippled health system and limited educational opportunities, Gaza's youngest residents face starvation, untreated infections and numerous preventable diseases.
"Children are not numbers. They are faces. Names. Stories. And each one is sacred," Pope Francis has often reminded the world. This final gift turns his powerful words into tangible action.
The repurposed Popemobile is being systematically equipped with essential medical equipment, rapid infection tests, diagnostic tools, vaccines, suture kits and various life-saving supplies. Once humanitarian access to Gaza is restored, doctors and medics will staff the vehicle to reach children in the most isolated areas of the territory.
Pope Francis in Kenya in November 2015.
Peter Brune, Secretary General of Caritas Sweden, said in a press release: "With the vehicle we will be able to reach children who today have no access to healthcare, children who are injured and malnourished."
"This is a concrete, life-saving intervention at a time when the health system in Gaza has almost completely collapsed," he added.
Caritas Jerusalem, with its extensive experience of serving Gaza's communities in difficult conditions, is leading this meaningful initiative. The organisation's team of more than one hundred health professionals is now carrying on Pope Francis' legacy of compassion by bringing his final blessing to the suffering people of Gaza.
"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.
Recently released photographs show the vehicle being carefully modified to meet the urgent needs of Gaza's children. The transformation is both practical and deeply symbolic.
"It's not just a vehicle. It's a message that the world has not forgotten about the children in Gaza," Mr Brune said.