Hopes of sailing free of war and poverty dashed for Gazans as bodies return in coffins

Palestinians attend the funeral of 8 people, who died when a ship carrying migrants drowned offshore Tunisia in October, in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, December 18, 2022. REUTERS/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa

Months ago, Talal Al-Shaer bid his two sons safe travels as they set off from the Gaza Strip on a tortuous route that they prayed would bring them new lives in Europe, free of poverty and war.

But the boat taking them across the Mediterranean Sea from Libya sank soon after leaving. One son drowned, his body recovered. The other was lost.

The family of Palestinian Mohammad Al-Shaer, who died when a ship carrying migrants drowned offshore Tunisia in October, pay farewell to his body before burial in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, December 18, 2022. REUTERS/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa

Rather than regaling friends about their successful migration, Al-Shaer received condolences on Sunday.

"A whole generation is lost, suffering, blockade, scarce jobs, bad mental health. That is what pushes them to migrate," he told Reuters ahead of the funeral for his son Mohammad, whose body was returned along with those of seven other Palestinians.

Three others, among them his son Maher, remain missing.

Mourners pray during the funeral of 8 people, who died when a ship carrying migrants drowned offshore Tunisia in October, in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, December 18, 2022. REUTERS/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa

Gaza's 2.3 million people are no strangers to hardship, after decades of war with Israel, economic clampdowns aided by neighbouring Egypt that starve the economy and splits between Palestinian factions. According to the World Bank, unemployment in Gaza runs at about 50% and more than half its population lives in poverty.

But among the thousands attending the migrants' funerals, there was added outrage and despair at the October shipwreck.

While dangerous migrations to Europe have picked up pace in recent years from across the Middle East, Palestinians feel especially driven to hazard them - and vulnerable to smugglers.

Mourners attend the funeral of 8 people, who died when a ship carrying migrants drowned offshore Tunisia in October, in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, December 18, 2022. REUTERS/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa

"Human-trafficking gangs are behind these illegal migration trips and they exploit these youths, charging up to $10,000 per person," Palestinian Foreign Ministry official Ahmad al-Deek told Reuters. "These are death trips."

He said the total number of Palestinian migrants was unknown. The young men who were buried on Sunday crossed Egypt before flying to Libya where they waited months to set sail. Deek said smugglers sometimes sank boats themselves if they felt threatened and deceived people about the risks.

Al-Shaer recalled sending off Mohammed with the words: "Go. May you find a better life - a dignified life."

The mother of Palestinian Yunus Al-Shaer, who died when a ship carrying migrants drowned offshore Tunisia in October, pays farewell to his body before burial in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, December 18, 2022. REUTERS/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa

(Writing by Nidal Almughrabi; editing by Philippa Fletcher)

Mourners pray during the funeral of 8 people, who died when a ship carrying migrants drowned offshore Tunisia in October, in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, December 18, 2022. REUTERS/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa