OSNABRÜCK, Germany — They are a tiny speck speeding across the Mediterranean Sea. Three men in ordinary street clothes — track pants, coats over life jackets, a "Free Palestine" cap — sit astride a jet ski, gripping each other tightly as they drive full throttle across the vast expanse of blue water.

The men are all Palestinians from Gaza, and their mission is to reach Europe. They left Libyan shores under the cover of darkness one August night and set a course for the Italian island of Lampedusa — taking their lives into their own hands to find a safe country for themselves and their families. Many attempt this dangerous 186-mile journey in overcrowded smugglers' boats, but this is the first known attempt on a jet ski.

"I look at these photos and think 'I still can't believe I did tha

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