GAZA CITY, Palestine
Along Gaza City’s shoreline, dozens of Palestinians have found a companion and an outlet in the sea, turning to early morning swims to ease psychological strain and briefly escape the pressures of Israeli genocide.
Gaza’s sea, long a witness to the devastation inflicted on the enclave, embraces each morning dozens of young men and elderly residents who persist in swimming despite the winter chill, seeking respite from life’s hardships, physical renewal and stronger immunity.
Not far from Israeli naval boats that blockade the coast and pursue fishermen in their daily struggle for a livelihood, the swimmers enter the water and perform exercises, creating simple moments of joy.
Swimming coach Mohammed Mahra gathers his trainees at the water’s edge, leading fitness drills as the first rays of sunrise reflect off the sea.
Creating positive atmosphere
Mahra says nearly everyone in the Gaza Strip has endured loss, deprivation, displacement and hunger as a result of the Israeli genocide, but he and his team insist on creating hope and spreading positivity out of nothing.
“We’ve grown used to enjoying swimming in the morning, in summer and winter alike,” he told Anadolu. “We insist on restoring vitality and positive energy on the seashore, which has borne witness to the tragedies and pain that befell Gaza.”
“As Gaza has always shown the world that it can achieve the impossible, here we are creating joy through our determination from the heart of Gaza’s life-filled sea, despite the pain we carry,” Mahra added.
He noted that they pursue their hobby without even the most basic equipment, saying, "The (Israeli) occupation destroyed everything.”
Mahra stressed that their activity is “a message of defiance and an expression of will,” pointing out that Israeli gunboats fire daily toward fishermen and swimmers, sometimes causing injuries.
Physical benefits
Trainee Anwar Hashisho says winter swimming is both enjoyable and beneficial. “It boosts the immune system, stimulates blood circulation and regulates the heartbeat,” he said.
Swimming also helps “release pent-up frustration and ease the negative atmosphere we endured throughout the two years of war,” he added.
The man in his fifties told Anadolu that he previously suffered a stroke and that swimming was one of the recovery methods that helped him overcome that condition.
Another trainee, Mohammed Farhat, said he comes with friends to swim, enjoy the cold water and dispel negative energy.
“The sea is the only outlet Gaza’s residents have to ease the burdens and pressures of life,” he said.
Farhat expressed hope that the harsh conditions they face will improve and that he may one day have the opportunity to represent his country in international swimming competitions.
At least 581 Palestinians have been killed and over 1,553 others injured in Israeli attacks since the Gaza ceasefire took effect on Oct. 10, 2025, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.
Israel’s war on Gaza, which began on Oct. 8, 2023, and lasted two years, has killed more than 72,000 Palestinians and wounded more than 171,000, most of them women and children, and destroyed about 90% of Gaza’s civilian infrastructure.
Writing by Mohammad Sio in Istanbul