A group of young people carrying surfboards past tents and bombed-out buildings in the Gaza Strip head to the sea despite the risk of Israeli attacks. On the beach of Gaza City, they lay their three boards on the sand, complete their warm-up exercises, and finish their preparations.
Twenty-three-year-old Tahseen Abu Assi says he learned to surf from his father. "It's impossible to describe this sport. The feeling you get when you catch a wave and glide on it is indescribable," he says.
In a statement to the AFP news agency, Abu Assi said, "Despite the war, the bombardment, and the destruction, we continue with this sport because it gives us a breath of air and makes us feel safe."
Ongoing violence and restrictions
Despite the ceasefire that came into effect in October between Israel and the Palestinian Hamas movement, the small coastal strip continues to see bloodshed. The violence persists even at sea.
In mid-May, the Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis reported admitting two fishermen wounded by Israeli naval artillery fire on a beach in the southern Gaza Strip. A few days later, a Gaza security source announced that three fishermen were wounded by Israeli fire off the coast of Gaza City.
Abu Assi emphasized the risk, saying, "The situation is still unstable. A bullet or explosive could fall near you at any moment."
Material shortages and candle wax
The severe shortages caused by the war and ongoing Israeli import restrictions pose an obstacle to the sport. Nineteen-year-old Abdel Rahim Ustadh said, "One of the biggest challenges we face as surfers in the Gaza Strip is the lack of tools and equipment specific to this sport."
Ustadh stated, "Surf wax, which we apply on the boards, is completely unavailable in Gaza, so we resort to candle wax to be able to continue this sport."
Ustadh pointed out that preserving old equipment is also vital, showing a worn red-and-blue surfboard that is nearly 20 years old. "We surfers treat these boards like our great treasures because losing any board or having it confiscated threatens our ability to continue this sport," he said.
The team has shrunk, dreams continue
Eighteen-year-old Khalil Abu Jiyab said that before the war, there was a team of 17 surfers in Gaza. He noted that now only three remain, and the reason for this is the shortage and lack of boards.
Abu Jiyab said, "I have been surfing for 13 years, and my hopes have been almost shattered." However, he added that he still carries the dream of one day surfing in competitions outside the Gaza Strip.
"There is really nothing to look forward to in Gaza except the sea," said Abu Jiyab. "The only way out in Gaza is the sea; without it, life would have already perished."
