The popemobile, a vehicle donated by Pope Francis to Palestine earlier this year, may have its fate decided as the Hamas conflicts with Israel seem to be reaching a resolution.
The vehicle was provided by the pontiff to Gaza in May as one of his last requests before his death, according to the Vatican.
The popemobile, built on a Mitsubishi L200 pickup, served as a vehicle for Francis during his visit to Bethlehem in 2014, but had been converted into an ambulance to assist refugees.
The ambulance was reportedly operated by Caritas Internationalone of the humanitarian entities of the Catholic Church. However, the popemobile never reached Gaza after its entry was blocked by Israel.
In June, Harout Bedrossianspokesperson for Caritas in Jerusalem, said they were “working in coordination with government agencies” to ensure the popemobile entered Gaza.
But as the borders were closed, he argued that this would not change in the “near future.” According to the organization, even the minimal entry of supplies was happening at military checkpoints and in a “chaotic” manner.
Furthermore, according to reports from various agencies, the blockade of vehicles and items such as gas cylinders was occurring in the war-torn territory.
In August, more than one hundred humanitarian aid organizations signed a statement of repudiation, arguing that a policy of “arbitrary bans” on supplies for the Palestinian population had been established.
While the conflicts between Hamas and Israel seem to be coming to an end, the fate of the popemobile remains uncertain but may be decided soon.
Photos: Disclosure. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
