Israeli couple's honeymoon in Ceuta turns into a siege: "We were locked in the hotel for two and a half days"
Maor Lopez and his wife traveled to the Spanish enclave to visit family and celebrate an annual festival, but a mass breach of migrants from Morocco disrupted their plans. "The streets were filled, my wife went into a panic. We didn't know if they were coming with good intentions," he said. The couple had to relocate: "If the situation worsens, we will return to Israel."
The honeymoon of 28-year-old Maor Lopez from Ashdod and his wife turned into a frightening experience within hours. The couple traveled to Ceuta, the Spanish enclave in North Africa, to visit relatives and attend the city's annual festival, but following a mass breach of migrants from Morocco, they found themselves locked in their hotel room for two and a half days.
"My wife and I arrived in Ceuta for our honeymoon on Tuesday, and by Thursday, the chaos began," Lopez said. "We were outside when my uncles, who live in the city, called and urged us to return to the hotel immediately due to the border breach. We came to visit family and celebrate, but we ended up trapped."
Ceuta, a Spanish enclave surrounded by Moroccan territory, serves as one of only two land borders between the European Union and Africa. According to estimates, between 50,000 and 60,000 people entered the city in a short period—a massive influx for a city of about 83,000 residents. While many migrants have since returned to Morocco, military and police forces remain heavily deployed throughout the city and border area.
"As far as we know, we are the only Israelis in Ceuta," Lopez noted. "We were essentially under siege in our hotel room for two and a half days. Seeing the crowds in the streets triggered deep fear, especially given the events of October 7. My wife was in a panic. On television, it looked like a repeat of that nightmare, with tens of thousands breaching the border. We didn't know what their intentions were, and after what we've been through in Israel, the fear was overwhelming."
Lopez mentioned that while the situation is calming down, anxiety persists. "Many migrants are still hiding in alleys throughout the city. We were advised not to leave the hotel due to concerns about theft or harm to residents," he added. When their hotel reservation ended, there were no vacant rooms left, forcing the couple to move in with relatives.
During the crisis, many businesses were shuttered, and residents struggled to secure basic supplies like food and water. Lopez described the mood among Ceuta's residents as one of anger and frustration. "The locals are furious; they don't understand why this is happening to them, or why now. The annual festival, which was supposed to run until next Saturday, has been canceled, which is a major blow to many people's livelihoods."
Lopez also witnessed violent clashes. "Residents are trying to expel the migrants themselves. We saw people confronting them with stones, sticks, and iron bars," he said. Despite the turmoil, the couple still hopes to continue their trip, though Lopez remains cautious: "If the situation worsens, we will have to return to Israel. We are hearing that there are still attempts to breach the border, so it's impossible to know how things will develop."
