Ceuta migrants trapped in limbo as border crisis eases Hundreds stranded after mass crossing as Spain blocks route to mainlandThe chaos of the mass migrant surge into Spain's North African enclave of Ceuta has given way to uncertainty, with hundreds of Moroccan migrants now sleeping rough after finding themselves trapped between Europe and home. While more than 48,000 of the estimated 50,000 people who crossed into Ceuta this week have voluntarily returned to Morocco, many others remain stranded in parks, public squares and on pavements with little food, shelter or prospect of reaching mainland Spain. Madrid has blamed human-trafficking gangs for exploiting a recent Supreme Court ruling to trigger the unprecedented border rush, while Morocco insists criminal networks—not government policy—were behind the mass crossing. 'I never stopped dreaming of coming back'Among those still waiting is 44-year-old Youssef El Abbas, who lived and worked in Spain for 14 years before losing his residency and being deported to Morocco in 2019. Hearing reports that Morocco's border had effectively opened, he seized what he believed was a once-in-a-lifetime chance to reunite with his wife and four daughters, who still live in Bilbao. "I never stopped thinking about coming back," he said. "In Morocco, I was alive, but I wasn't really living." But after reaching Ceuta, El Abbas says the hope of rebuilding his life has been replaced by uncertainty as migrants remain unable to travel on to mainland Spain. Young migrants face uncertain futureAmong those stranded is 17-year-old Said from Casablanca, who says he crossed believing Europe offered a better future but now survives on food handed out by local residents. He hopes to learn Spanish, qualify as a barber and eventually build a new life legally, but fears being sent back before he gets the chance. Despite the pressure on a city of just 80,000 people, many Ceuta residents have been handing out water, food, blankets and clothing to migrants left sleeping on the streets. However, local leaders warn the humanitarian crisis has also heightened political tensions, with far-right groups seeking to exploit the situation as Spain struggles to restore normality after one of the largest mass border crossings in Europe in recent years. SOURCE
