Children and young people in Gaza, where sports halls and clubs were destroyed in Israeli attacks, are continuing their karate training in tent camps and among the rubble.
Demonstration in front of the cultural center's ruins
At the initiative of the Palestinian Karate Federation, hundreds of children and young people, including athletes with disabilities and those who had lost limbs, performed a karate demonstration on Tuesday, October 20, in front of the destroyed Rashad al-Shawa Cultural Center in western Gaza City.
The federation said it had trained 1,000 new athletes as part of the initiative titled "1,000 new dreams born among the ruins." Federation Deputy President Hasan al-Rai said sport in Gaza was "not a luxury but a space for psychological and social recovery."
Rama al-Suwayr, one of the children who took part in the demonstration, said the training helped her overcome the loneliness and psychological pressure caused by the war. The demonstration was hosted by Mumin al-Baytar, a visually impaired international karate athlete.