Palestinian children who lost limbs in the Israel-Hamas war learn to swim in Gaza

KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip (AP) — Palestinian children who have lost limbs during the Israel-Hamas war since Oct. 7, 2023, are taking swimming lessons in Khan Younis, Gaza, through classes organized by the nonprofit Heal Palestine.

Palestinian children who lost their legs after being injured during the war between Israel and Hamas receive swimming training from the Heal Palestine organization at a pool in Khan Younis, Gaza Strip, Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)

Coach Nour Qashqash warms up with children who lost limbs after being injured during the war between Israel and Hamas, during a swimming training session organized by the Heal Palestine organization at a pool in Khan Younis, Gaza Strip, Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)

Palestinian girl Sama Abu Khuswan, 12, who lost a leg after being injured in the war between Israel and Hamas, participates in a swimming training session organized by the Heal Palestine organization at a pool in Khan Younis, Gaza Strip, Thursday, Aug. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)

Coach Nour Qashqash warms up with children who lost their legs after being injured in the war between Israel and Hamas during a swimming training session organized by the Heal Palestine organization at a pool in Khan Younis, Gaza Strip, Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)

Palestinian girl Miral al-Babli, who lost a leg after being injured during the war between Israel and Hamas, receives swimming training from the Heal Palestine organization at a pool in Khan Younis, Gaza Strip, Thursday, Aug. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)

Prosthetic limbs belonging to Palestinian children who lost their legs after being injured in the war between Israel and Hamas are placed beside the pool as the children receive swimming training from the Heal Palestine organization in Khan Younis, Gaza Strip, Thursday, Aug. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)

Amputee swimming trainees jump into a pool during a training session for Palestinian children who lost their legs after being injured during the war between Israel and Hamas, in Khan Younis, Gaza Strip, Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)

Rimas Abu Shalouf, 16, who lost both legs after being injured during the war between Israel and Hamas, receives swimming training from the Heal Palestine organization at a pool in Khan Younis, Gaza Strip, Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)

ZANDVOORT, Netherlands (AP) — Max Verstappen says he seriously considered leaving Formula 1 before the four-time champion instead committed to four more years with Red Bull on Thursday.

The announcement of his contract extension ahead of Verstappen’s home Dutch Grand Prix this weekend ends speculation that he could seek a blockbuster move to another team or quit the sport.

It comes despite Red Bull struggling to match the pace of leading team Mercedes this season, and Verstappen's own frustration with how much the 2026 cars rely on electrical power.

“After the first few races (this year), I said to Laurent (Mekies, Red Bull team principal): ‘Don’t come to me with any kind of questions about the future because I don’t even know if I want to stay.’ Honestly, we always kept it very open,” Verstappen said.

He added that talks with F1 and governing body the FIA had persuaded him that “we are slowly working towards something that becomes better and better” with the current cars, while the new contract until 2030 could cover a potential — but not confirmed — return to simpler V8 engines.

“Even if I’m not entirely happy with how the package is, I still love racing, this is still the pinnacle of motorsport, so I still want to be here,” he added.

Asked whether he’d spoken with other teams, he said: “I think I was closer to retiring than changing team.”

Seeing out the contract in full would take Verstappen to 15 seasons with Red Bull. It would be the longest-running driver-team pairing in F1 history. It comes with strong support for team principal Mekies after he replaced the team's founding boss Christian Horner last year.

In return, Mekies laid out how the team is built around Verstappen.

“He’s a lot more than the fastest driver in the world for us,” Mekies said. “He’s the central point of the team. He’s one we always refer to for all the strategic decisions we are making, and to know that he’s going to be with us in order to build that next winning cycle is phenomenal.”

Verstappen, already considered one of F1’s all-time greats at the age of 28, has yet to win a race this season. The 71-time race winner hasn’t had a winless season since his rookie year in 2015.

Verstappen’s previous contract ran through 2028 but reportedly included performance-related clauses which could have potentially allowed him to leave earlier and which fueled speculation he might seek to move.

Red Bull backed Verstappen’s career from childhood and brought him into F1 at the age of 17 in 2015 at its second team, then called Toro Rosso. That made him the youngest driver in series history, a record he still holds.

Still, there had been signs of tension in recent years amid the departures of a series of key staff including Horner last year and car design great Adrian Newey.

Verstappen also raised safety concerns this season after two separate faults with the Red Bull car’s rear wing hurled him into high-speed crashes.

Verstappen had been linked with a move to McLaren after reports of a meeting in June between his representatives and McLaren management. McLaren chief executive Zak Brown said at the time the team didn't have an opening for him and would stick with defending champion Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, who said Thursday he hadn't been worried for his seat.

Mercedes had also signaled interest in the past.

“Drivers talk with different teams, teams talk with different drivers. Everyone has to just see what their cards are," Mercedes' George Russell said Thursday. "My seat never felt under threat, and I felt 100% security with Toto (Wolff, team principal) and the team. That obviously now continues.”

One driver who had been considered a potential replacement for Verstappen at Red Bull, Carlos Sainz Jr., signed a new contract on Wednesday with Williams.

See AP’s full auto racing coverage here

Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands walks away after a news conference ahead of the Dutch Formula One Grand Prix in Zandvoort, Netherlands, Thursday, Aug. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)

Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands attends a news conference ahead of the Dutch Formula One Grand Prix in Zandvoort, Netherlands, Thursday, Aug. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)

Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands attends a news conference ahead of the Dutch Formula One Grand Prix in Zandvoort, Netherlands, Thursday, Aug. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)