Imagine a world where your most prized possession isn't a smartphone or a gaming console, but a weathered piece of foam and fiberglass that you can't replace if it breaks. For a tiny group of surfers in Gaza City, this is their reality. 🏄♂️
In a region currently devastated by war, surfing has become more than just a sport—it's a lifeline. While most have had to give up the waves, a handful of dedicated riders are still out there, catching breaks between the echoes of airstrikes. It's a heavy contrast: the peaceful glide of a wave versus the chaos of destruction.
According to Tahseen Abu Assi, one of the few remaining surfers, the community has shrunk to just three or four people. The reason? A total gear crisis. 📉 No new surfboards have entered Gaza since 2007. For nearly two decades, these athletes have been patching up old equipment with whatever they can find, knowing that once a board is truly gone, it's gone for good.
Tahseen's story is a powerful testament to resilience. He's been displaced four or five times during the conflict, and every single time, his board was the first thing he grabbed. "I used to evacuate with it before I evacuated with my family, because it's the only one I have," he shared. That board isn't just equipment; it's his identity and his escape.
Of course, the fear is constant. But for these surfers, the call of the ocean is stronger than the anxiety of the shore. In a place where so much has been lost, riding a wave is a way to reclaim a moment of peace and meaning. It's about holding on to a passion when everything else feels like it's slipping away. ✨🌊
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Gaza's last surfers ride the waves amid death and destruction
cgtn.com
