Ethiopians Who Fled War Fear Return as Israel Weighs Sending Them Back

Jerusalem is at the centre of a growing dispute over the fate of people who fled the war in Ethiopia and now find themselves facing the possibility of being sent back by Israel.

Among those caught up in the uncertainty is Luwam Habteab, whose own experience in Israel has already involved prolonged detention. For 75 days beginning in 2020, she slept on the floor of a prison cell. During that period she was given little food and received no medical care.

Her account offers a glimpse into the conditions endured by some of those who sought safety in Israel after leaving Ethiopia amid the conflict there. The prospect that such individuals could now be returned has raised concerns among those affected and those following their situation closely.

The case highlights the precarious position of people who left a country at war, only to encounter harsh treatment and prolonged uncertainty in the place where they sought refuge.

Details of the broader policy under which such returns might take place, and the number of people potentially affected beyond Habteab's case, were not fully set out. What is clear from her account is the severity of what she endured during her detention in 2020, a period that stretched across more than two months without adequate food or medical attention.

The situation underscores the difficult choices facing those who fled Ethiopia's war, many of whom now confront the prospect of being sent back to the circumstances they originally escaped.

As the matter continues to draw attention, Habteab's experience stands as a stark illustration of the stakes involved for those whose future in Israel remains uncertain.