The Popemobile that Pope Francis donated to be used to deliver humanitarian aid and be a mobile clinic for the children in Gaza was denied entry.
Newsroom (04/06/2025 07:55 , Gaudium Press) Before his death, Pope Francis donated the popemobile he used during his 2014 visit to Bethlehem to be converted into a mobile clinic for children in Gaza. The initiative, personally entrusted to Caritas Jerusalem, aimed to address the severe humanitarian crisis in the war-torn enclave, where nearly a million displaced children lack food, clean water, and medical care.
Yet, despite being outfitted with essential medical equipment, the vehicle remains stranded due to border closures, including the sealed Rafah crossing between Egypt and Gaza. “We are still coordinating with authorities to facilitate its entry, but the borders remain closed. Realistically, it won’t happen soon,” Harout Bedrossian, Caritas Jerusalem’s press officer, told ACI Prensa.
Bedrossian noted that while limited aid is entering Gaza, distribution is tightly controlled by military checkpoints and remains ineffective amid the chaos. One major obstacle is the difficulty in obtaining Israeli-issued entry permits. “The process is arduous and slow. Egypt’s route is slightly easier, but all borders are currently shut,” he explained.
Humanitarian efforts in Gaza face extreme challenges, with recent reports of violence during aid distribution. Gaza authorities, along with observers from Doctors Without Borders and the Red Crescent, allege Israeli forces opened fire on a Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) aid center, killing at least 31 people. However, the GHF disputes the claim, stating the distribution occurred without incident.
As the popemobile—a symbol of hope—remains immobilized, Gaza’s children continue to endure dire conditions with little relief in sight.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from CNA
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