Out of the rubble and on to the beach: Gaza’s junior surf lifesavers return to the waves after three years of war
Just 15 of the program’s 45 Nippers have been found since the conflict disrupted it
TL;DR
- The Gaza Nippers, Palestine's chapter of a junior surf lifesaving program, has relaunched after a three-year suspension due to conflict.
- Of the original 45 children in the program, only 15 have been located alive; the rest are missing or presumed dead.
- Hassan Al-Habeel, who oversees the program in Gaza, lost his 15-year-old son, Ali, due to lack of access to food and medicine amidst the conflict.
- The program faced numerous challenges, including the loss of equipment, fundraising difficulties, and safety concerns, before it could restart.
- Despite the immense loss and hardship, the return of the program is seen as a "ray of hope" for the children and a message for the world that they deserve to live in peace.