It is often said that water is a blessing in South Sudan but the people who live in this impoverished nation have been given good reason to reconsider an unquestionable truth.
Two years of unprecedented flooding has changed the way the country looks, with thousands of kilometres of rich agricultural land now lying under water.
In the counties which surround the town of Bor, in Jonglei state, some 200,000 people have been forced to seek higher ground after an island formed on their land.
Image: Huge areas of rich agricultural land are now under water
In communities where residents raised cattle and grew cereals like sorghum, fish now dart through the water and large water lilies have spread themselves on the surface.
The entire ecosystem, in an area of some 1,300 square kilometres, has changed beyond recognition.
Advertisement
The neatly constructed roofs of numerous towns and villages are visible above the water line but there is no sign – or sound – of life from within. The highways and byways have been washed away.
We hitched a lift to Bor on a helicopter with the UN’s World Food Programme (WFP), which is now supporting 2.6 million people in South Sudan with emergency food aid.
More on Climate Change
But there is no way to move beyond Bor and into the floodlands in a conventional vehicle.
Instead, the WFP uses amphibious craft called “sherps”, and Sky News was given a couple of seats in the back of one of these contraptions on a mission to save an ageing dyke.
The floodwaters overwhelming the counties of Jonglei state stem from two separate sources.
Image: Children wade through floodwaters after the Nile broke the dykes in Pibor last year
Much of the water has flowed from Lake Victoria – at the head of the Nile river system – some 800 kilometres to the north.
Unprecedented rainfall has been flowing into the lake since summer 2019.
The Ugandans, who control the dam at the top of the Nile, have been releasing water to prevent what is known as “backflow” from destroying communities on the lake itself.
As a result, the White Nile has burst its banks to devastating effect in South Sudan.
The second source is found in last year’s rainy season – which never actually stopped in South Sudan.
Image: The UN uses special vehicles to get around
Now, this year’s monsoon is scheduled to start. The cumulative effect of both events has resulted in fundamental environmental change.
The UN is trying to restore an aging dyke in the vicinity of Bor.
It would allow tens of thousands of people to return to the land, but the earthworks have been destroyed in more than 40 places by the flooding.
Image: Local people want to get back to farming
We watched small groups of men lug 80kg bags of sand and mud into position in just one of these sizable gaps.
There are 1,500 working on the dyke and all are men who used to farm in the area. Now they live in displacement camps in surrounding towns and villages and everyone here dreams of returning to the land.
“We need to protect our territory – this is our territory and the water is beyond our control,” said a young man called Mangol Guy Peter.
“God has taken but he will also provide.”
But the state minister for housing in Jonglei, Elijah Mabior Bol, is less certain about God’s role. He suspects his nation will bear the brunt of decisions made by human beings in far flung places.
Image: The state minister for housing in Jonglei state thinks global warming is to blame
“It is when you have given up of thinking, scientifically, that’s why you say it is God,” he said.
“But to us, we say it is global warning. I remember in 1966 and 1967 we used to walk here from Bor on foot and now it is different territory. I can’t believe it – I can’t believe this was the soil we used to walk on when in elementary school in the 60s. It has totally changed.”
The people who grew cereals and raised animals in this region have gone. Those who remain must fish or grind flowers of water lilies into small amounts of cereal.
It is a difficult new world and they are trying to adapt.
It was supposed to be a day of pure joy, with hours spent dancing with the love of his life.
But when Hamas terrorists attacked Nova festival on 7 October 2023, Roei Shalev’s life was tragically changed forever.
The 29-year-old was dancing the night away with his partner, Mapal Adam, and their best friend Hilly Solomon when rocket fire suddenly drowned out the music.
Roei, Mapal and Hilly frantically tried to escape by car, driving away from the festival grounds until they encountered a young woman stumbling into the road, covered in blood.
She warned them that there were Hamas gunmen behind her, so the trio exited their vehicle and ran to nearby trees to hide.
“Bullets whizzed past us, grenades exploded nearby, and terror engulfed us from all directions,” Roei said.
They dived under two abandoned cars – Roei and Mapal under one, Hilly under the other.
More on Israel
Related Topics:
But the gunmen caught up with them, shooting the three festivalgoers as they were pinned under the cars.
Roei tried to shield 26-year-old Mapal from the bullets, but she died beneath him while he was shot in the back. Hilly, 26, was also killed instantly.
Image: Roei was shot in the back twice. Pic: Instagram/@roeishalev
What followed were “agonising” hours during which Roei lay still, covered in his and his girlfriend’s blood, and played dead.
Even when a second group of gunmen approached and shot at him a second time, hitting him in the back yet again, he did not move.
Seven hours later, the Israeli army found Roei alive.
“That day was the darkest I’ve ever known,” he later said.
The terror continued
A week after his girlfriend and best friend were killed, Roei’s mother Raffaela took her own life because she “couldn’t contain the pain and losses of October 7”, according to her son.
“In just one week, I lost three of the most important women to me in the world,” Roei said.
“In the months that followed, I struggled to cope. Flashbacks and anxiety consumed me, and sleep became a distant memory.”
Roei said therapy and the unwavering support of others gave him the strength to share his story publicly.
“I opened up on social media, laying bare the rawest details of my trauma. The response was overwhelming,” Roei wrote on a fundraising page for Nova festival survivors and their families last year.
“Messages poured in from people who found solace and inspiration in my journey. Their words gave me purpose, a reason to keep fighting.”
He said he was “uncertain of what the future holds”, but knew that he had to “honour the memory of the three extraordinary girls who were taken from us too soon”.
Image: Roei Shalev and Mapal Adam. Pic: Instagram/@roeishalev
In the two years that followed these tragic events, Roei renamed the family bakery he had been running with his girlfriend to “Mapal Cafe”, in tribute to his “one and only love” and organised events to commemorate Mapal and Hilly.
“Amidst the pain and sorrow, I hold onto one truth: we will dance again,” he said in his fundraising post a year ago.
‘Longing for you is only getting bigger’
On the anniversary of his girlfriend’s death, Roei wrote on Instagram: “Two years have passed since the most terrible day of my life… and of a whole country.
“The longing for you is only getting bigger, the pain does not pass with time. It is always there, everywhere, all the time. I’m full of pain this year, even more than last year.”
In the post, Roei thanked his girlfriend for “moments I won’t forget, pure love and the best relationship I could ask for”.
He also addressed both her and Hilly, saying: “A huge apology that I couldn’t keep you safe on this terrible day, you know I did everything, I did everything to keep you safe, my beloved.
“I preferred to die in agony and for you to survive it.”
Image: A woman leans on a picture of Mapal Adam, at the site of the Nova music festival. File pic: AP
On Friday night, three days after the anniversary of the tragic events, Roei posted a note on his Instagram account, saying he “can’t go on anymore”.
“I’ve never felt such deep and burning pain and suffering in my life. It’s eating me up inside,” Roei wrote.
His note raised concern among his family and friends, and a frantic search was launched.
The search ended a few hours later in the tragic discovery of Roei’s body inside a burning car near Poleg Beach in Netanya, Israel. Police have opened an investigation, according to Israeli media.
His friends describe Roei as a warm and devoted member of the Nova community who “gave strength to everyone else while quietly carrying immense pain”, The Times of Israel reports.
Roei’s family confirmed his death in a statement and asked for their privacy to be respected.
Image: Roei Shalev was found dead on Friday. Pic: Instagram/@novaexhibitions
The Nova Tribe Community organisation, which represents survivors and families of the victims of the October 7 attack on the music festival, called his death “heartbreaking” and “deeply saddening” in a tribute.
“Roei was a pillar of strength within the community, and his death is an immeasurable loss for us,” the organisation said.
The statement continued: “Sadly, many members of the Nova community are still experiencing traumatic moments daily since October 7.
“We ask everyone to show constant awareness and emotional sensitivity to the mental state of those affected by the October 7 events and to all survivors and bereaved families.”
SafeHeart, a non-profit organisation providing psychological support for October 7 survivors and their families, said in a statement: “Our hearts are broken alongside Roei’s family, friends, and the entire survivor community.
“This terrible tragedy is a painful reminder that for many survivors, the trauma of October 7 has not ended. It continues to live within them, day by day, moment by moment. The pain does not simply fade with time; in many cases, it grows stronger.”
Anyone feeling emotionally distressed or suicidal can call Samaritans for help on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org in the UK.
Alternatively, you can call Mind’s support line on 0300 102 1234, or NHS on 111.
A survivor of the October 7 attacks has died, two years after his girlfriend was shot dead by Hamas gunmen at Nova Festival.
Roei Shalev, 29, has been found dead shortly after the second anniversary of the death of his 27-year-old girlfriend Mapal Adam, who was killed by Hamas gunmen when they attacked Nova Festival.
The couple had been dancing with their friend Hilly Solomon, 26, on 7 October 2023 when the sound of rocket fire drowned out the music, causing them to flee the festival grounds in their car.
As Hamas fighters closed in from all directions, the trio hid under a car, but they were spotted by gunmen and shot several times.
Image: Roei Shalev and Mapal Adam. Pic: Instagram/@roeishalev
Mr Shalev said he waited seven “agonising” hours with two bullets in his back – with his girlfriend and his friend lying dead beside him – until the Israeli army came.
A week later, his mother took her own life.
“In just one week, I lost three of the most important women to me in the world,” Mr Shalev wrote on a fundraising page for festival survivors and their families.
More from World
“That day was the darkest I’ve ever known. In the months that followed, I struggled to cope. Flashbacks and anxiety consumed me, and sleep became a distant memory,” he added.
Now, two years after the horrifying attack, Mr Shalev was found dead in a burning car near Poleg Beach in Netanya, Israel.
Police have opened an investigation, Israeli media reports.
Shortly before his body was found, Mr Shalev had posted a note on his Instagram account, saying he “can’t go on anymore”.
“I’ve never felt such deep and burning pain and suffering in my life. It’s eating me up inside,” Mr Shavel wrote.
This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly.
Israel and Hamas have agreed to a first phase of a peace deal brokered by the US president, with a ceasefire taking effect on Friday.
Dr Naim said the ceasefire would not have been possible without President Trump, but insisted he needed to continue to apply pressure to Israel to stick to the agreement.
He added that Hamas would be willing to step aside for a Palestinian body to govern a post-war Gaza, but that they would remain “on the ground” and would not be disarmed.
Dr Naim said in the interview: “Without the personal interference of President Trump in this case, I don’t think that it would have happened to have reached the end of the war.
More on Gaza
Related Topics:
“Therefore, yes, we thank President Trump and his personal efforts to interfere and to pressure Israel to bring an end to this massacre and slaughtering.”
Spotify
This content is provided by Spotify, which may be using cookies and other technologies.
To show you this content, we need your permission to use cookies.
You can use the buttons below to amend your preferences to enable Spotify cookies or to allow those cookies just once.
You can change your settings at any time via the Privacy Options.
Unfortunately we have been unable to verify if you have consented to Spotify cookies.
To view this content you can use the button below to allow Spotify cookies for this session only.
He added: “We believe and we hope that President Trump will continue to interfere personally and to exercise the maximum pressure on [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu to fulfil its obligation.
“First, as according to the deal, and second, according to the international law as an occupying power, because I think without this pressure, without this personal interference from President Trump, this will not happen.
“We have already seen Netanyahu speaking to the media, threatening to go to war again if this doesn’t happen, if that doesn’t happen.”
Image: Donald Trump has been thanked for his role in securing a peace deal in Gaza. Pic: AP
Questions remain over the next phases of the peace plan, including who will govern Gaza as Israeli troops gradually pull back and whether Hamas will disarm – as called for in Mr Trump’s ceasefire plan.
Mr Netanyahu has hinted that Israel might renew its offensive if Hamas does not give up its weapons.
However, Dr Naim said Hamas would not completely disarm and that weapons would only be handed over to the Palestinian state, with fighters integrated into the Palestinian National Army.
“No one has the right to deny us the right to resist the occupation of armies,” he said.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
2:24
Thousands of Gazans are heading north as Israeli troops pull back.
On future governance, Dr Naim criticised plans for Sir Tony to play any role in overseeing the future of Gaza, saying that Hamas and Palestinians were angered by his role in previous wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Dr Naim added: “When it comes to Tony Blair, unfortunately, we Palestinians, Arabs and Muslims and maybe others around the world have bad memories of him.
“We can still remember his role in killing, causing thousands or millions of deaths to innocent civilians in Afghanistan and Iraq.
“We can still remember him very well after destroying Iraq and Afghanistan.”
Under Mr Trump’s plans, Sir Tony would form part of an international supervisory body.
The international body, the Council of Peace or Board of Peace, would govern under plans approved by Mr Netanyahu.