Swedish Television announced on Sunday a humanitarian initiative to convert the late Pope Francis’s car—used during his 2014 visit to Bethlehem—into a mobile clinic for children in the Gaza Strip, fulfilling his final wish.
The initiative is being carried out in coordination between Peter Brune, Secretary General of Caritas Sweden, and Anton Safar from Jerusalem. The project had received Pope Francis’s personal approval before his passing. According to the Palestinian News and Information Agency, WAFA, the Pope had said: “If it will help the children of Gaza, then it deserves to be used this way.”
In a press statement, Peter Brune said the mobile unit would allow medical teams to reach children who currently lack access to treatment, due to the near-total collapse of the healthcare system in Gaza. He added: “It is not just a vehicle; it is a message that the world has not forgotten Gaza’s children.”
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The vehicle, which has become a symbol of the papal visit to the Holy Land, will be equipped with medical tools and protected with a protective layer of shrapnel. However, the major challenge lies in getting it into the besieged Gaza Strip, as aid has been denied entry for over two months.
Caritas Jerusalem is leading the field efforts, continuing its humanitarian work in Gaza despite ongoing difficulties. Anton Safar spoke of the symbolic significance of the vehicle, saying it reflects the compassion and care the Pope showed towards the vulnerable.
Last month, the Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs mourned the passing of Pope Francis, describing him as “a loyal friend and a messenger of peace,” and noting that he died while still calling for an end to the genocide against Palestinians.
Throughout his 12-year papacy, Pope Francis consistently supported Palestinian rights, calling repeatedly for an end to the war in Gaza and encouraging international aid to its people. His leadership also strengthened ties between Palestine and the Vatican.
READ: Pope says children dying under bombs is ‘unacceptable’
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