A pair of lion cubs en route from the Gaza Strip to Jordan spent a restful night in a Gaza hotel after being unable to cross the Israeli border, reports Associated Press.
The lions reached the Israeli border after it had been closed and were forced to return to Gaza until the checkpount reopened next day.
Mona and her brother Max, who are both famous throughout the Gaza Strip, had been living in the home of Rafah resident Saed Eldin al-Jamal for over a year after he bought them when from a Gaza zoo when they were just one month old.
However, as the cubs began to grow in size, it was clear al-Jamal's one-floor home in a crowded refugee camp could not be a suitable environment for the lions for the long run.
Al-Jamal cried while his teenage son hugged and kissed the cubs goobye as they were handed over to the British charity Four Paws International, which would transport them to a sanctuary in Jordan.
At least 45 lions remain in Gaza, living in family homes with untrained caretakers.
