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Muhammad Abu Dakha, a 31-year-old Palestinian from Gaza, used a jet ski to escape and reach Europe after over a year of planning, spending thousands of dollars, facing setbacks, and demonstrating resourcefulness. He chronicled his journey through videos, photos, and audio records shared with Reuters. Both he and his companions, along with their families in Gaza, provided accounts during interviews upon their arrival in Italy.
Escaping the destruction caused by nearly two years of war, which Gaza’s health officials estimate has resulted in nearly 65,000 Palestinian deaths, Abu Dakha crossed the Rafah border into Egypt in April 2024 by paying $5,000.
Initially, he traveled to China with hopes of gaining asylum but failed and subsequently returned to Egypt via Malaysia and Indonesia. This was confirmed through email exchanges with the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) in China from late 2024.
His journey then took him to Libya, a region known for widespread abuse and exploitation of migrants by traffickers and militias. According to reports from human rights groups and the UN, thousands of migrants are routinely subjected to mistreatment while trying to reach Europe.
He made an unconventional attempt to reach Italy, after ten failed crossings with smugglers. Abu Dakha bought a used Yamaha jet ski for about $5,000 from a Libyan online marketplace, investing another $1,500 in essential gear such as a GPS, satellite phone, and life jackets. He, along with 27-year-old Diaa and 23-year-old Bassem, paddled for approximately 12 hours, fending off a Tunisian patrol boat and towing an additional dinghy with supplies.
Using ChatGPT, they calculated their fuel needs but still ran out roughly 20 km (12 miles) short of Lampedusa. They managed to call for help, leading to a rescue operation and their eventual landing on Italy’s southern island on August 18. A Romanian patrol boat participating in a Frontex mission rescued them, an event described by the EU border agency as “an unusual occurrence.”
Bassem, who declined to give his last name, described the journey as challenging but driven by hope and determination. Experts from UNHCR Italy confirmed that Italian authorities recorded their arrival after crossing from the Libyan port of al-Khoms, which is about 350 km from Lampedusa in a straight line.
Abu Dakha reached the Italian migrant center in Lampedusa and shared with Reuters that his jet ski arrival was reported by local media. He provided photos and documents, although some details of his account could not be independently verified.
From Italy, his journey continued. He was transferred via ferry from Lampedusa to mainland Sicily, then to Genoa, but he escaped from the bus en route to his final destination. An Italian interior ministry spokesperson said there was no specific information about his movements afterward.
Hiding in the woods for a few hours, Abu Dakha flew from Genoa to Brussels and later traveled to Germany. His travel included train rides to Cologne and Osnabrück, where a relative picked him up and brought him to Bramsche.
He has applied for asylum in Germany and is awaiting a court hearing, though no date has yet been scheduled. Currently, he is residing in a local asylum center, with no income or employment. The Federal Office for Migration and Refugees in Germany declined to comment on his case for privacy reasons.
His family remains in a tent camp in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, after their home was destroyed. His father, Abdrabuh Souliman Abu Dakha, explained that Muhammad once owned an internet shop and had a stable income, but everything collapsed due to the war.
Muhammad hopes to secure asylum in Germany and bring his wife and two young children, ages four and six, with him. One of his children has a neurological condition requiring ongoing medical treatment.
“I risked everything to leave on a jet ski,” he said. “Without my family, life has no meaning.”
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