Chaos of border crossing gives way to limbo for Moroccans on Ceuta’s streets

The Guardian UK Sunday 02 August 2026, 13:11 UTC By Okba Mohammad and Javier Jennings Mozo in Ceuta 1 min read

Key Points

People among the more than 50,000 who entered Spanish enclave this week describe the journey and their prospectsFour days ago, Youssef El Abbas saw an opportunity to reclaim the life he had lost years seven earlier. News was circulating that about 400 people had swum from Morocco to the neighbouring Spanish enclave of Ceuta on the north African coast, approximately 12 miles (19km) across the strait of Gibraltar from mainland Spain.

People among the more than 50,000 who entered Spanish enclave this week describe the journey and their prospects

Four days ago, Youssef El Abbas saw an opportunity to reclaim the life he had lost years seven earlier.

News was circulating that about 400 people had swum from Morocco to the neighbouring Spanish enclave of Ceuta on the north African coast, approximately 12 miles (19km) across the strait of Gibraltar from mainland Spain.

Moroccans (ORG) Ceuta (LOCATION) Spanish (ORG) Youssef El Abbas (PERSON) Morocco (LOCATION) African (ORG) Gibraltar (LOCATION) Spain (LOCATION)

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Chaos of border crossing gives way to limbo for Moroccans on Ceuta’s streets

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