Khan Yunis, Gaza: Amid hardship and uncertainty, Palestinians are trying to encourage Gaza's youth to participate in sport and train with limited means amid a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
In Khan Yunis, children gather on a quiet street, guided by basketball coach Jihad Abd Al-Aziz. These makeshift basketball practices are a small sanctuary, providing hope and unity during a fragile ceasefire.
With playgrounds and schools destroyed by war, these young athletes now practice in the most unlikely places, often stopping their games as cars navigate the busy roads. Scarce resources force them to make do with what they can find, yet the spirit of sport persists.
"Of course, this war has destroyed everything, even the playgrounds, the UNRWA schools, and even the schools of the State of Palestine that we used to use for sports and for playing basketball. Today, we are forced to play in the streets. So now, we are playing inside the camps," said 55-year-old Jihad, an ex-basketball player turned coach.
"We even lost our shoes, the uniforms, and everything related to sports; all of it was gone. So we were forced, with whatever capabilities and the minimal resources we had, to create the means to bring the youth together and make them play basketball," he said.
With Gaza ravaged by war, sports here demand improvisation, as every piece of equipment and every bit of space becomes precious. In other corners of Khan Yunis, individuals like Nidal Abd Al-Fattah build training tools by hand, determined to keep dreams of athletic accomplishment alive.
Nidal, a longtime practitioner of kickboxing and judo, now trains his own children, creating homemade gear and offering lessons in strength and perseverance. In the absence of facilities, his makeshift gym is a beacon for his family and community.
"I have been practising individual sports for nearly 30 years. I was a member of the Palestinian Kickboxing Federation for about 20 to 25 years, and I applied for membership in the Judo Federation, where I worked for around 10 years. I currently hold a 3rd Dan [ranking system used in martial arts] in Judo and a 4th Dan in Kickboxing," said Nidal.
For Nidal, individual sports are a lifelong passion, practised for nearly three decades. He now passes on this legacy, believing in the potential of every child he mentors.
"You're talking about an athlete in Gaza for the past two years. He may have been weak and fragile, but he has the mindset and the ability to act if given the opportunity. If we give him any chance to help build a new generation of athletes, I believe that in less than a year, sports will start functioning again, God willing, provided that certain conditions are met." (With AFP inputs)
