Mulu Brehiya, a 51-year-old Israeli from Be'er Sheva who was stranded in Ethiopia because of the war, died 48 hours before an Israir rescue flight was due to bring him home, according to his family and an Israeli lawmaker involved in efforts to evacuate citizens.
Brehiya, a father of five whose family said two of his children are currently serving as combat soldiers in the IDF, had traveled to Ethiopia to visit his sick sister. When the war began, he was forced to remain there along with other Israelis, including many elderly people in their 80s and 90s who had traveled for herbal medical treatment, according to the account.
Because of security concerns, rescue flights were not initially sent to Africa. But after efforts led by lawmaker Pnina Tamano-Shata, who enlisted Israir as well as President Isaac Herzog, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar and Transportation Minister Miri Regev, a command center was set up for families and Israelis stranded there, and evacuation flights to Addis Ababa began operating, subject to approvals and other bureaucratic hurdles.
The flights were repeatedly delayed for security reasons, the account said, and at one stage, intervention by the Foreign Ministry was required because the aircraft lacked fuel amid wartime shortages. The first flight arrived in Israel on March 18 with 150 passengers. A second flight arrived Wednesday with another 150 passengers, and a third is expected in the coming days.
Brehiya had been scheduled to board the second flight. While waiting in Addis Ababa, he collapsed 48 hours before departure after his medication ran out, according to his family. Before that, he managed to call his wife, who works at Soroka Medical Center in Be'er Sheva, tell her he was in poor condition and say goodbye to her and the children in case he was not rescued.
Volunteers working through the emergency command center reached his home at Tamano-Shata’s initiative, helped him get to a hospital and remained with him until he died.
His son, Yitzhak, told ynet that “when my father left, he was completely fine. He went to visit his sick sister.” He said his father called from Ethiopia and said his medication was running out and he did not know what to do. “We turned the world upside down in recent days trying to bring him back, but unfortunately it did not succeed,” he said. “It is very sad that this is how his life ended. We did not believe he would reach this state.”
His wife, Tsekalit, appealed for help in returning his body to Israel. “I want them to urgently help me bring the body back, to help us say goodbye to him,” she said. “We are broken by what happened. We have five children. We never thought he would die like this. Please help me.”
Tamano-Shata said she was pained that Brehiya could not be rescued in time. “His wife and son fought for him. This is truly a tragedy,” she said. “A situation in which Israelis are stranded abroad is not merely dangerous, it can be life-threatening. Everything must be done to rescue everyone. We must make every effort so that all of them return home to Israel safely. I share in the family’s grief.”
After Tamano-Shata appealed to Clal Insurance CEO Yoram Naveh, the company decided to cover the costs connected to the case.