A group of young Palestinian surfers are turning to the sea to find rare moments of joy amid the destruction and displacement they have endured in the war-torn Gaza Strip.
Along Gaza's coastline, these young surfers gather to ride the waves and briefly escape the devastation surrounding them, as they step onto to beach to get away from the mountains of rubble left behind by airstrikes.
Most of the group have been left living in tents after losing their homes during the war, but their love for surfing is the one thing that can take their mind off the horrors they have faced.
Despite limited resources, these surfers continue practicing the sport using old and damaged boards. Some even clung onto and carried their boards during repeated evacuations, fearing they would never be able to replace them.
"I was displaced several times with my surfboard. It's the only board I own, so I protected it during displacement just like my family. Of course, this sport is dangerous, but I can't do without it. At the height of the war, at the height of fighting, I used to go down and practice this sport because it is the only outlet for us in the Gaza Strip," said Tahseen, one of the surfers.
Compounding the problem is that Israel has for years restricted the entry of surfing equipment and repair materials into Gaza.
"One of the biggest challenges and difficulties we face in the sport of surfing is the lack of special tools such as wax, knives, and ropes. None of these tools are available as Israel has prevented their entry for years. Of course, we have other difficulties, such as that we can miss the sea at any time because of the number of dangers that exist. Of course, surfing for us is not a luxury, but it is life and hope inside this besieged territory," said Abdulrahim Al Ostaz, another surfer.
Despite these conditions and the wider challenges they face, many of the young surfers in Gaza continue holding onto their dreams.
Khalil Abu Jiab, one of the youngest of the group who regularly hits the water here, hopes to one day have the chance to surf outside Gaza and even take on international athletes.
"We had dreams of traveling outside Gaza to continue developing this talent, but unfortunately we could not. We hope surfers around the world can support us. We love sports and the sea. The idea promoted about Gaza that we do not love life or peace is simply wrong," he said.
Surfers in war-torn Gaza find rare moments of joy by taking to waves
Surfers in war-torn Gaza find rare moments of joy by taking to waves
