{"id":44265,"date":"2025-11-25T15:17:11","date_gmt":"2025-11-25T15:17:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/44265\/"},"modified":"2025-11-25T15:17:11","modified_gmt":"2025-11-25T15:17:11","slug":"popemobile-used-by-francis-in-bethlehem-refitted-as-mobile-clinic-for-gaza-kids","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/44265\/","title":{"rendered":"Popemobile used by Francis in Bethlehem refitted as mobile clinic for Gaza kids"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Catholic aid organization Caritas Internationalis unveiled in Bethlehem Tuesday the \u201cVehicle of Hope\u201d \u2014 a \u201cpopemobile\u201d used by the late pope Francis, refitted as a mobile pediatric clinic for wounded children in Gaza.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is my hope that this vehicle will continue to bring healing and compassion to children in conflict zones, particularly in Gaza,\u201d Pope Leo XIV wrote in a letter. \u201cIts new mission reflects the love and solidarity embodied in Pope Francis\u2019s legacy.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Mitsubishi\u2019s chassis was reinforced to drive on damaged roads, along with upgraded suspension and high-resistance tires, said Caritas.<\/p>\n

\u201cInside, the clinic provides a medical workspace, including a triage and examination area equipped for trauma stabilization, post-amputation care and emergency pediatric treatment,\u201d according to the nonprofit.<\/p>\n

\u201cRefrigeration units, compliant with WHO\u2019s vaccine-storage standards, allow safe transport of insulin, vaccines and pediatric antibiotics. The vehicle\u2019s independent power system, supported by a backup battery bank, enables 6\u20138 hours of off-grid operation.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Israel said it has received no request for the vehicle to enter Gaza, however. The Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories told The Times of Israel: \u201cWhen we receive a request, we will evaluate it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\t\"\"<\/a>
\n\t\tPope Francis waves to the crowd from his popemobile, as he arrives at the Manger Square on May 25, 2014, outside the Church of the Nativity in the West Bank town of Bethlehem (ABBAS MOMANI \/ AFP)<\/p>\n

Francis personally approved the project before his death.<\/p>\n

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas donated the Mitsubishi for the pope\u2019s use during his 2014 visit, after which it was given to the Franciscan order.<\/p>\n

The order passed it along to the Jerusalem branch of Caritas, which came up with the idea for it to be used by a medical team.<\/p>\n

A ceasefire still formally holds in Gaza, though there have been frequent attacks on IDF troops in the Israel-controlled areas, and regular Israeli airstrikes on Hamas targets in response.<\/p>\n

\t\"\"<\/a>
\n\t\tPalestinians walk among buildings destroyed by war, in the southern Gaza Strip, November 24, 2025. (Abed Rahim Khatib\/Flash90)<\/p>\n

Francis frequently spoke out about the war in Gaza and in January called the humanitarian situation there \u201cshameful.\u201d He also called for the release of the hostages taken by Palestinian terror groups, met their relatives and condemned the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel that ignited the war.<\/p>\n

He was also known to speak by phone with Gaza\u2019s small Christian community every evening during the war.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe know how much Pope Francis loved the people of the Holy Land, the people of Bethlehem and especially the people of Gaza,\u201d said Father Faltas, representative of the Franciscan Friars to the State of Palestine.<\/p>\n


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\t\t\tAlready a member? Sign in to stop seeing this<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The Catholic aid organization Caritas Internationalis unveiled in Bethlehem Tuesday the \u201cVehicle of Hope\u201d \u2014 a \u201cpopemobile\u201d used…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":44266,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[153,155,154],"class_list":["post-44265","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-bethlehem","tag-bethlehem","tag-bethlehem-headlines","tag-bethlehem-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44265","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=44265"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44265\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/44266"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=44265"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=44265"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=44265"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}