A 52-year-old man from Gaza and his 23-year-old son reportedly swam about eight kilometers from Bodrum, Turkey, to the Greek island of Kos, according to the Aegean Boat Report organization. The two, originally from Khan Younis, said they had been evacuated to Egypt for medical treatment during the war before reaching Turkey and deciding to attempt the crossing.
A 52-year-old Palestinian man from Gaza and his 23-year-old son successfully swam from Turkey to the Greek island of Kos early Saturday morning, according to the Aegean Boat Report organization. The group said the two crossed roughly eight kilometers of the Aegean Sea in about seven hours, part of the journey in darkness, using only fins and inflatable floats. The men told the organization they are from Khan Younis, had been evacuated to Egypt for medical care at the height of the war in Gaza, and later traveled to Turkey before deciding on the dangerous swim. No detailed corroboration of their account beyond the single report is yet available. The unprecedented crossing underscores the desperation of some Gazans displaced by the conflict.
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