The Foreign Ministry held a special ceremony in memory of Tanzanian national Joshua Mollel, an agronomy student who came to Israel from Tanzania to study, and who was murdered on October 7. His body was abducted by Hamas terrorists from Kibbutz Nachal Oz and taken to Gaza. Mollel's father, Loitu, called on the international community to act for the immediate release of his son's body from Gaza so that he can bring him for a proper burial.
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The ceremony held on Monday, during which a memorial candle was lit in Mollel's memory, was attended by his family members, Tanzanian Foreign Ministry senior officials, representatives from the Israeli Foreign Ministry who served in the country, and the deputy director-general of Israel's Agency for International Development Cooperation (MASHAV), Einat Shlain.
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Joshua Mollel's family with Foreing Minsiter Eli Cohen
(Photo: Yaif Eliyagoyev, Foreign Ministry)
Foreign Minister Eli Cohen presented a certificate to Mollel's family for the 18 trees planted in his name and memory, in collaboration with the KKL-JNF organization.
Cohen expressed his deep condolences on behalf of the State of Israel to Mollel's family and emphasized his commitment to ensuring that the family receives its full rights. "The entire world must unite against Hamas, which, on October 7, indiscriminately slaughtered children, women, the elderly, and even foreign nationals," said Cohen.
"Our hearts are with the family of Joshua, only 22 years old, who came to Israel to specialize in agriculture for the benefit of his community and country, and was brutally murdered by Hamas terrorists. His body is still held by them," he said.
"We will continue to operate on the diplomatic front in Africa, Europe and everywhere around the world so that Hamas, along with all its branches and operatives, will be designated as a terrorist organization and held against the law," he added. "I assured Joshua's family that Israel will never forget their son and all of the foreign nationals who were murdered on that Saturday."
Mollel came to Israel just three weeks before the massacre, and stayed in Kibbutz Nahal Oz. In addition to Mollel, another Tanzanian citizen, Clemence Felix Mtenga, was murdered on October 7.