Palestinian man Muhammad Abu Dakha says he has spent a year searching of asylum after escaping Gaza in a journey that culminated in dangerous jet ski trip from Libya to Italy.

Lampedusa

Israel and Iran have agreed a ceasefire after a twelve day conflict. Meanwhile, Israel strikes in Gaza continue with the humanitarian crisis deepening.

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Mohammed Abu Dhakar, a 31-year-old Palestinian, escaped Gaza after paying $5,000 to cross into Egypt. After an unsuccessful attempt to claim asylum in China, he traveled to Libya, where he faced repeated failed attempts to reach Europe by boat. Determined to find a safer route, Abu Dhakar purchased a jet ski and, along with two other Palestinians, attempted a 12-hour journey to Italy. They were rescued by a patrol boat near Lampedusa after running out of fuel.

Following their arrival, the group evaded authorities during a transfer in Italy and eventually reached Germany, where Abu Dhakar has applied for asylum. He is currently awaiting a court hearing and hopes to bring his wife and children, one of whom requires medical care, to join him. His family remains in a tent camp in Gaza, grateful for his safety.

From Gaza to Europe via jet ski: how this Palestinian escaped war

It took more than a year, several thousand dollars, and a jet ski for Palestinian Mohammed Abu Dhakar to escape from Gaza and reach Europe. The daring journey, documented in videos and photos, saw the 31-year-old leave his family in April 2024, paying $5,000 to cross the Rafah border point in Egypt. Initially he said he travelled to China, but returned to Egypt after failing to win asylum and made his way to Libya to try reach Europe via Italy. Tens of thousands of migrants are routinely abused by traffickers in Libya while trying to secure a spot on a boat to Europe, according to human rights groups and the UN. 47,000 boat migrants have arrived in Italy in year-to-date, mostly from Libya and Tunisia, according to the country's interior ministry. After 10 failed crossing attempts, Abu Dhakar decided to make his own way to Italy, where Reuters interviewed him. He purchased a jet ski for $5,000 and invested another $1,500 in a GPS, a satellite phone, and life jackets. That's when I started thinking of a new idea, the jet ski idea. At the beginning, I tried the jet ski that one of my relatives had, and I liked the idea. So I started planning for it. Within two months, we got a jet ski, checked the fuel, and calculated the distance and thought of how we will carry the fuel. Accompanied by two other Palestinians, 27-year-old Diya and 23-year-old Bassem, he said he drove the jet ski for about 12 hours. But they ran out of fuel 12 miles from Lampedusa, Italy's southernmost island. They were rescued by a Romanian patrol boat and taken to Lampedusa's Migrant Center, a spokesperson for the European Union's border agency said. However, the trio's odyssey didn't end there. They then escaped a bus transfer from Sicily to Genoa, hiding in bushes for hours. Abu Dhakar showed Reuters a plane ticket that took him from Genoa to Brussels, where he said he took a train to Germany and was collected by a relative. He says he has applied for asylum with no date set yet for a court hearing. He has no job or income and is staying in Bramsha at a local center for asylum seekers. Germany's Federal Office for Migration and Refugees declined to comment on his case, citing privacy reasons. Abu Dhakar shared materials and documents, although Reuters was unable to confirm certain aspects of his account. Back in Gaza, Abu Dhakar's family remains in a tent camp near Khan Younis. His father told Reuters his son was never one to sit still. After his business and home were destroyed by Israel, he said he couldn't stay in Gaza. The family thanks God their son is alive and safe. Abu Dhakar now hopes to win the right to stay in Germany and bring over his wife and two children. He said one of them suffers from a neurological condition requiring medical care, and his risky mission won't be complete without them.

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Jerusalem

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London

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Tunis

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From Gaza to Europe via jet ski: how this Palestinian escaped war

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