Tragically, the Tanzanian student initially thought to be held hostage by Hamas in Israel, Joshua Mollel, has been confirmed as having lost his life in an attack on the kibbutz where he was interning. The assault occurred on October 7, carried out by Hamas gunmen.
Foreign Minister January Makamba of Tanzania revealed that Joshua Mollel was killed immediately after being taken hostage, along with fellow student Clemence Felix Mtenga. The father of Joshua Mollel, Loitu Mollel, has been informed about the devastating loss of his son.
Mr. Makamba expressed the government’s intention to gather more information on the matter by planning a visit to Israel with Mr. Mollel, another family member, and a government official.
As of now, the Mollel family has not issued any statements on the incident. Kibbutz Nahal Oz authorities, in a Facebook post, mentioned that Mr. Mollel’s body is being held by Hamas.
Both Tanzanian students had recently traveled to Israel, arriving just a month before the tragic attack on October 7. Initially, it was reported that they were among the 240 people taken hostage by Hamas.
Tanzanian officials note that approximately 350 Tanzanians reside in Israel, with a majority being students engaged in agricultural studies. The attack on Kibbutz Nahal Oz resulted in the loss of dozens of residents, part of the 1,200 people killed by Hamas fighters on that fateful day.
Since then, Hamas claims that around 18,600 people have lost their lives in the Israeli operation in Gaza. The situation is undoubtedly heartbreaking, and our thoughts go out to all those affected by these tragic events.
