On the first anniversary of Pope Francis’s death, attention has turned to one of his final wishes: that his popemobile be converted into a mobile children’s clinic and sent to war-torn Gaza. A close confidant said the late pope wanted it as a humanitarian gesture, calling it a “symbol of hope” for children affected by the conflict. The vehicle had previously been used during his 2014 visit to the Holy Land, where he waved to Palestinian Christians.
The popemobile was later refurbished with medical equipment for trauma care and vaccinations, reportedly capable of treating up to 200 children a day. However, despite being ready for deployment, it has not yet been sent to Gaza and remains on display in a glass case in Bethlehem in the occupied West Bank, still waiting for the plan to be carried out.
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