Homes reeking of stench, rampant violence and sirens – how the town of Ceuta became Europe's nightmare

ynet correspondent in Ceuta describes an apocalyptic reality in the Spanish enclave, into which tens of thousands of migrants from Morocco have entered. The migrants are housed in makeshift camps on the beach, in forests and in the cemetery, under harsh sanitary conditions, with rampant violence and despair. Local residents have abandoned their homes, the Spanish public is furious, and the far right is benefiting from the crisis.

ynet correspondent Zeev Avrahami reports from Ceuta, a Spanish enclave in North Africa that has become the scene of a severe humanitarian crisis. At the end of July 2026, between 80,000 and 100,000 illegal migrants, most from Morocco, entered the city of 84,000 residents. Most returned within a day, but between 8,000 and 12,000 remained, at least a quarter of them unaccompanied minors. The migrants are scattered in makeshift camps on the beach, in forests and in the cemetery, under terrible sanitary conditions, without sufficient food and water. Violence is rampant, especially at night, when police and volunteers leave the compound. The rape of a minor and an adult migrant woman has been reported. Local residents have abandoned their homes, and the city has become a lawless camp. The background to the crisis includes tensions between Spain and Morocco, high unemployment among young people in Morocco, and a Spanish Supreme Court decision banning the deportation of migrants without a hearing. The crisis is stirring anger among the Spanish public and strengthening the far right.