The father of a 21-year-old Tanzanian named Joshua Mollel, who has been missing since Hamas militants attacked the kibbutz he was living on in Israel, has shared his anguish with the BBC. This is the first time that his son’s name has been made public.
“The last time I spoke to Joshua was Thursday 5 October,” says his father, Loitu Mollel. “I told him to be on his best behavior because he was in a new place, and to make the most of his internship.”
Two days later, Joshua Mollel’s new home – Kibbutz Nahal Oz – was attacked by Hamas.
He had recently left his family’s home in northern Tanzania and was filled with excitement as he boarded the plane. It was his first time traveling abroad and a huge step toward achieving his dreams.
“My son has aspirations to become one of Tanzania’s most successful farmers in the field of agribusiness,” proudly states his father.
Joshua’s parents, who earn modest incomes from teaching and farming, hope that his studies in Israel will eventually improve their financial situation.
As the eldest child, Joshua serves as a role model for his younger brother and sisters, making it even more painful that they have had no contact with him for weeks.
On 7 October, dozens of residents were killed in the attack on Kibbutz Nahal Oz, and hostages were taken to Gaza, which is only 800m away.
Nobody knows what happened to Joshua, and his family is deeply worried.
“We can’t eat or sleep – people at the market ask me why I have lost so much weight,” says his father.
Upon learning that Israel had been attacked, Joshua’s father attempted to find information about his son by contacting the Tanzanian foreign ministry and Tanzania’s ambassador in Tel Aviv. However, they have yet to receive any information about Joshua’s whereabouts or well-being.
Neither Tanzania nor Israel have officially confirmed the names of the missing Tanzanian students. However, the BBC has conducted its own investigation and can confirm Joshua Mollel as one of the missing students, although the identity of the other student has not been disclosed by their parents.
“We are collaborating with Israeli authorities to locate the two missing students,” states Tanzania’s ambassador in Tel Aviv, Alex Kallua. “We cannot determine if they are hostages or in any other situation because we are still seeking accurate information.”
The BBC has also reached out to Israel’s foreign ministry for comment.
According to Tanzanian officials, there are approximately 350 Tanzanians living in Israel, with 70% of them being students primarily focused on agricultural
