Mystery shrouds case of missing Tanzanians after Hamas ambush

Dar es Salaam. The whereabouts of two Tanzanians who went missing after the Israel-Hamas attacks remain unknown, as disseminating information paints an ambiguous picture of the situation.

The Israeli Embassy in Nairobi, which serves Uganda, Tanzania, Malawi, and the Seychelles, reported on Thursday that around 220 hostages, including the two Tanzanians, were being held in Gaza by Hamas, but the Tanzanian government maintained that they were just missing.

According to the embassy, many of the hostages were foreign nationals, including the two Tanzanians.

“Let’s do everything we can to #BringThemHome,” the embassy said on X, which was once Twitter.

“We are devastated to hear about the two Tanzanian nationals held among the captives in Gaza. We send our support to the families during these difficult times,” the embassy added.

The ministry of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation in Tanzania updated that the two were still missing but did not also refute allegations that they were taken hostages.

“The government is aware of the two missing Tanzanian nationals who are among 260 Tanzanian students studying modern agriculture methods and techniques in Israel. The government has been working with relevant authorities and other parties to ascertain their whereabouts and bring them to safety,” it stated.

“These efforts are ongoing, and the ministry is in constant communication with their families to update them on these efforts,” the statement added.

 So far, nine Tanzanians living in Israel have taken up the government’s offer to be assisted to return home and were received at Julius Nyerere International Airport on October 18, 2023.

One of the missing Tanzanians is 21-year-old Joshua Mollel, who last month travelled to Israel for agriculture-related studies.

“I’ve still received no information about where my child is or in what condition,” Joshua’s father, Mr Loitu Mollel, told the BBC.

The government remains the single entity through which the families of the missing Tanzanians seek to get final information about their members, according to University of Dodoma analyst Dr Paul Loisule.

“My strong suggestion is for the government to play its part in establishing the whereabouts of our missing fellow countrymen,” he said.

There are around 350 Tanzanians living in Israel, including around 260 students pursuing agricultural programmes, according to the embassy.

The Israel-Gaza conflict has elicited a global outcry, with countries worldwide expressing their concerns and calling for an immediate halt to the violence.

Thousands of lives have so far been lost, as no end is in sight for the war-torn region.