A Gaza family's two pet lions arrived in a wildlife sanctuary in Jordan after being stranded in the area when it was ruled by the militant group Hamas, AP reported.
The lions named Mona and Max travelled to Jordan through Israel to get to a more appropriate habitat, according to Amir Khalil of British charity Four Paws. This is considered one of Four Paw's most challenging mission.
The lions were bought by Saed Eldin al-Jamal and his family while they were still cubs from a local zoo that was destroyed during the Hamas-Israel war.
Said lions lived with their family in a small home located in a crowded refugee camp when they were still a month old. Al-Jamal had bought the cubs since the original owners of the small South Jungle Zoo could no longer sustain the food for the lions as their need increases, Tuscaloosa News reported.
The lions and their entourage arrived at the border after it closed without prior coordination or preparations as they attempted to cross via the Erez crossing with Israel.
The group checked into a Gaza hotel until the crossing reopened while the 1-year old lions were locked in their crates in the hotel's garden.
