Dar es Salaam – The body of Joshua Mollel, a Tanzanian student killed during the Hamas attack in Israel on 7 October, has been repatriated for burial in his home country.
The remains of the young Tanzanian arrived at Kilimanjaro International Airport (KIA) near Hai, Kilimanjaro region, on Wednesday, November 19, at approximately 1:45 PM.
The repatriation flight was met by a delegation that included the Deputy Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, Ambassador Said Shaib Musa, alongside Ambassador Silima Haji, and the District Commissioner for Simanjiro, Fakii Lulandala, as well as family members.
Mollel was in Israel as part of an agricultural internship programme, a cooperation initiative between Tanzania and Israel, when he was killed at the training school site.
The Tanzanian government confirmed his death on December 14, 2023, and began the process of repatriating his body while offering condolences to his family and pledging to monitor the safety of other Tanzanian nationals remaining in Israel.
READ MORE: Tanzanian Government Confirm the Death of a Second Tanzanian Student Held Hostage By Hamas
Speaking at the airport, Ambassador Musa stated that the government ensured the dignified return of Mollel’s body and affirmed that Tanzania would continue to cooperate with Israel to ensure appropriate action is taken following the incident.
The deceased is scheduled to be buried on Thursday, November 20, in Njiro Ward, Orkesumet, Simanjiro District, Manyara region. Funeral preparations have been finalised through the joint efforts of the family and the government.
Mollel is one of two Tanzanian students confirmed killed during the attack. The then-Minister for Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, January Makamba, confirmed Mollel’s death, stating that he was killed shortly after being taken hostage by Hamas.
The other deceased student, Clemence Felix Mtenga, whose death was announced on 18 November 18, was awarded his bachelor’s degree posthumously on November 23 by Sokoine University.
Molel and Mtenga were among 260 Tanzanians participating in the practical training on modern agriculture under the bilateral cooperation framework.
READ MORE: Tanzanian Held Hostage By Hamas Has Died, Govt Confirms
The attack by Palestinian gunmen on towns, kibbutzim, and military bases in southern Israel has led to Israeli authorities reporting that more than 240 people were taken captive, including Israeli citizens, soldiers, and foreign nationals.
In response, Israel has initiated a massive retaliatory military campaign in the Gaza Strip, including a siege that has cut off essential supplies like food, electricity, and fuel to the 2.3 million residents.
The relentless bombing campaign has been widely reported to have levelled entire neighbourhoods, resulting in a large number of fatalities, including thousands of children, and a significant toll on journalists and UN staff, with 101 UN staff reportedly killed—the largest in the organisation’s history.
The United Nations has described Israel’s actions in Gaza as amounting to the collective punishment of the civilian population.
