Tahseen Abu Assi does not just carry a piece of fiberglass and foam; he carries a lifeline. As he navigated the repeated, grueling displacements of a war that has dismantled his city, the surfboard remained by his side. In Gaza, where the land has become a landscape of rubble and restriction, the Mediterranean remains the only place where the horizon still feels open.
For Abu Assi and a dwindling handful of other surfers, the act of riding a wave is more than a sport. It is a fleeting reclamation of normalcy amidst a humanitarian crisis that has displaced the vast majority of the territory’s population and shattered its infrastructure. In a region where almost every movement is monitored or restricted, the ocean offers a rare, albeit dangerous, sanctuary.
Currently, only three or four men continue to surf in the Gaza Strip. The scarcity is not due to a lack of will, but a total lack of resources. Since 2007, when Israel tightened its blockade of the territory, surfboards and the specialized materials required to repair them—such as specific resins and fiberglass—have been largely banned from entering Gaza. For Abu Assi, the board he carries is irreplaceable. “If something happened to it, I won’t be able to get another one,” he said, reflecting a reality where a piece of sporting equipment is treated with the same desperation as food or medicine.
Navigating the ‘No-Go Zone’
The risk of entering the water has escalated sharply since the current conflict began on Oct. 7, 2023. The Israeli military has imposed stringent restrictions on sea activity, and for much of the past year, large swaths of Gaza’s coastline were declared “no-go zones.” This designation effectively criminalized fishing, swimming, and surfing, turning the shoreline into a high-risk frontier.
The United Nations has documented numerous incidents where fishermen were attacked while at sea or on the shore, including those using simple paddle boats. While the intensity of fighting has fluctuated, the danger remains constant. In the northern and southern reaches of the coast, swimming and fishing remain prohibited and perilous. In central Gaza, where Gaza City is located, surfers must contend with constant Israeli naval patrols.
Despite the threat of detention or fire, the pull of the ocean is stronger than the fear. “There is fear of course, but we can’t leave this sport,” Abu Assi said. He recalled venturing into the waves even during the height of the bombardment, with fighter jets screaming overhead. For these men, the physical act of surfing provides a psychological rupture from the trauma of war.
Maritime Risk Assessment by Zone
| Coastal Zone | Current Status | Primary Risk Factor |
|---|---|---|
| Northern Gaza | Prohibited | Military operations and strict closures |
| Central Gaza | High Risk | Active Israeli naval patrols |
| Southern Gaza | Prohibited | Military restrictions and “no-go” zones |
The Rarity of the Ride
The Mediterranean coast of Gaza is not naturally suited for surfing; the waves rarely reach a height sufficient for riding. This makes the occasional arrival of a swell a momentous event. When the sea rises, the surfers drop everything. Work, familial obligations, and the daily struggle for survival are momentarily paused.
On a recent Tuesday off the Gaza City port, Abu Assi and Khalil Abu Jiab were among the few to take to the water. As Abu Jiab caught a high wave, raising his arms in a gesture of pure joy, the image stood in stark contrast to the devastation on the shore. “As soon as the sea gets high, you leave your work and leave your whole life,” Abu Assi explained. “Work can be caught up on… We go practice this sport.”
This pursuit of joy is a survival mechanism. The war, sparked by the Hamas-led attacks on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023—which killed approximately 1,200 people and saw 251 taken hostage—has resulted in a staggering toll within Gaza. According to the Gaza Health Ministry, the Israeli military offensive has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians and injured over 170,000 others. The resulting collapse of healthcare, water, and food systems has left the population in a state of perpetual emergency.
The Logistics of Resilience
The struggle to maintain a surfing community in Gaza is a microcosm of the broader struggle for Palestinian life under blockade. The inability to import a simple surfboard highlights how the restriction of “dual-use” items—goods that could theoretically be used for military purposes—often strips civilians of the tools for recreation and mental health.
- Equipment Scarcity: No new surfboards have officially entered the territory since 2007.
- Maintenance Hurdles: Lack of epoxy and fiberglass means damaged boards often remain broken.
- Displacement: Surfers have had to carry their gear through multiple forced evacuations across the strip.
- Environmental Hazards: War-torn coastlines often face increased pollution and debris, complicating sea entry.
For those who remain, surfing is an act of defiance. It is a refusal to let the boundaries of the conflict define the boundaries of their existence. While the relief is fleeting, it is essential. In the water, the weight of the war is momentarily replaced by the weightlessness of a wave.
The current situation remains precarious. While a fragile ceasefire has attempted to ease the fighting, deadly strikes continue and accusations of truce violations persist between Israel and Hamas. The future of Gaza’s coastline—and the safety of those who dare to enter it—depends entirely on the outcome of ongoing diplomatic negotiations regarding a permanent ceasefire and the lifting of humanitarian restrictions.
The next critical checkpoint for the region remains the ongoing negotiations mediated by Qatar, Egypt, and the United States, aimed at securing a hostage-prisoner exchange and a sustainable end to hostilities.
If you or a loved one are affected by the events in Gaza or experiencing trauma, resources are available through the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and various global mental health support networks.
Join the conversation: How do you see the role of sport and recreation in conflict zones? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
