Three Palestinian Brothers From Gaza Reunited on Spanish Soil, While Two Afghan Men Fled What They Call "Death" Under Taliban Rule

CEUTA, Spain — Amid the thousands of mostly Moroccan migrants who stormed into Ceuta last week, a handful of asylum seekers carry stories of war and persecution. Three Palestinian brothers from Gaza reunited on Spanish soil, while two Afghan men fled what they call "death" under Taliban rule. Ahmed, Mohammed, and Abdellah Zayda, aged 26, 18, and under 18, walked through the woods near the Temporary Stay Center for Immigrants (CETI) as hundreds of men from North Africa and sub-Saharan Africa built makeshift shelters from reeds and plastic.

The brothers swam from Castillejos, Morocco, to the Tarajal beach in Ceuta, a journey that took eight hours for Ahmed and Mohammed two weeks ago, when only 100 to 200 migrants crossed daily. Abdellah arrived during Thursday's massive wave of over 50,000 people. "We want to request political asylum in Spain, said Ahmed, the eldest, showing a Red Cross document with registration number 428. "I have 427 people ahead of me.

They told me to wait four days outside, then I enter. My brother Mohammed will enter with me. Abdellah, a minor, was taken into child protection services.

Ahmed, who lived in Fuenlabrada, Madrid, in 2017 and trained at Atlético de Madrid's academy, said: "I went to Germany to pursue football but was expelled. Then my mother, brothers, and I moved to Tangier. My mother is still there.

My father never left Gaza; he lives under Israeli bombs. We can't go back. The brothers have aunts in Fuenlabrada and Marbella, and hope their mother can join them.

Nearby, Najeeb, 30, and Najebullah, 38, from Afghanistan, also camped in the hills. They fled three months ago after Taliban militants shut down Najebullah's business. They flew to Tajikistan, then Morocco, and headed to Castillejos after seeing TV images of migrants entering Ceuta.

"No one has told us how to access the CETI, said Najebullah. They refused to show their faces, fearing for their families. "If we appear, our families are in great danger, he said, drawing a finger across his throat.

"We came to Ceuta to never return to Afghanistan, at least not while the Taliban rule. My country is hell.