Amid the Rubble and Risk of Gunfire, Gaza’s Surfers Still Take to the Sea for Solace

Amid the tents and rubble, a group of Palestinian youths carry their surfboards to the Gaza shore. They seek tranquility in the waves, aware that at any moment they could become a target for the Israeli military.

On the beach in Gaza City, three young men lay their boards on the sand, stretch their limbs, and prepare their gear. While a few children splash in the shallows, they paddle out into deeper waters, facing the swells.

“This sport is indescribable. When you catch a wave, ride it, let yourself flow with it—there are no words for that feeling,” says Tahseen Abu Assi, 23. He learned to surf from his father. “I often saw him practicing on the beach with my grandfather, and I watched and learned. We progressed step by step, and even in times of war, shelling, and destruction, we kept up the sport, because it helps us breathe and feel safe.”

The ceasefire between Israel and Hamas took effect last October, after two years of devastating conflict. But this tiny coastal strip remains mired in bloodshed, with each side accusing the other of violating the agreement nearly every day. Even offshore, the violence persists. In mid-May, Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis reported receiving two fishermen wounded by Israeli naval fire near the southern Gaza coast. Days later, a Gaza security source said three other fishermen were hurt by Israeli fire off the Gaza City coast.

“The situation is still unstable,” Abu Assi explains. “At any moment, shells or explosives could land near you.”

Out on the water, they glide over the crests, briefly forgetting their daily hardships. But the severe shortages caused by war and Israeli import restrictions create major obstacles. “One of the biggest challenges for surfers in Gaza is the lack of specialized equipment,” says Abdel Rahim Ustadh, 19. “Surf wax, used on the boards, is completely unavailable here, so we have to use candle wax to keep the sport going.”

Ustadh carefully preserves his old red-and-blue board, nearly 20 years old. “We treat these boards like treasures, because losing one would mean jeopardizing our ability to continue this sport.” The war that has devastated Gaza leveled many areas, displacing most of the population at least once, with hundreds of thousands living in tent camps.

Khalil Abu Jiyab, 18, says that before the war, Gaza had a team of 17 surfers. Now only three remain, due to a lack of boards and extreme shortages. “I’ve been surfing for 13 years, and hope is almost lost,” Abu Jiyab says, but he still dreams of one day competing outside Gaza. “In Gaza, there is nothing to look forward to except the sea. The only escape from Gaza is the sea; without it, life would have vanished long ago.”