Gaza Man’s Jet Ski Odyssey to Europe, A Journey of Survival and Hope

A 31-year-old Palestinian from Gaza, Mohamed Abu Dukha, has reached Europe after a daring journey on a jet ski with two companions. The perilous attempt, filled with failures and huge expenses, took over a year to succeed.

According to Reuters, Abu Dukha purchased the jet ski in Libya and equipped it with GPS, a satellite phone, and life jackets. The three men traveled for 12 continuous hours, narrowly avoiding Tunisian patrol boats. When they ran out of fuel near Lampedusa, Italy, a rescue operation brought them safely to shore.

From Lampedusa, they were transferred to Italy, then Brussels, and finally Germany, where Abu Dukha has applied for asylum. He now hopes to reunite with his wife and children, still living in a tent camp in Khan Younis.