Gaza Strip war torments Fiji duo

Mereia Mici and Mesake Ibeco are happy to be back home after experiencing the first few days of war between Israel and the Hamas militant group, officially known as the Islamic Resistance Movement.

They arrived yesterday onboard the Fiji Airways charter flight, along with members of the Fijian contingent who were in Israel for the Feast of Tabernacle celebration.

Ms Mici, 23, was one of 13 students at the Navuso Agricultural Technical Institute, who were interning at the Arava International Centre for Agriculture training in Israel.

The Nadrala, Nadroga, native was the lone female student in the group whose 11-month internship was reduced to one month after the Israel-Hamas war broke out last week.

“It is an experience I had not encountered before,” said Ms Mici, the eldest of three siblings.

“From where we were based, we did not feel much, but recently people turned to run towards us in the South. We heard gunshots and soldiers carried loaded arms.”

She thanked the Government and organisers of the charter flight for their repatriation as other aircrafts were not allowed to land at the airport.

“I am thankful that we were able to return with the assistance of Government, otherwise we would have spent more time there and only God knows what would happen next,” Ms Mici said.

Mr Ibeco, 24, of Vereta, Tailevu, shared similar sentiments.

“I was looking forward to the full 11 months but was cut short to a month only,” he said.

“Climate is something great to learn in Israel. We had only two classes as we were still waiting for our brothers from Vanuatu to come for the full programme to start. This war changed our fate. Good to be safe at home, but our prayers are with those in that war-torn area.”

He thanked God for protecting them through the long journey from Tel Aviv to Nadi.

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