GAZA SURF CLUB
In the Strip, young surfers cross a city scarred by war and blockade to reach the sea with old, repaired boards. Founded by a former swimming champion, the club has become a refuge for dozens of boys and girls. Amid shortages, blackouts and isolation, surfing offers them a rare sense of freedom and a way to keep dreaming.
In Gaza, on Al Sheikh Ejlien Beach, a group of young people meets every afternoon to surf. They are students, fishermen, construction workers and bakers, crossing a city scarred by bombings and the blockade with old boards, often repaired as best they can. Their reference point is Al Hindi Ashour, a former swimming champion and Gaza’s first surfer, founder of the Gaza Surf Club. What began with just a few enthusiasts has grown to involve dozens of boys and girls. Closed borders make it difficult to obtain equipment or travel, while access to the sea is restricted. Yet surfing remains a space of freedom. As Ibrahim Arafat says, in a life marked by shortages, blackouts and isolation, entering the water means resisting and continuing to dream.
The photo was taken in 2010.
