For 24-year-old Mahmoud al-Sousi, the Mediterranean Sea offers one of the few escapes from the devastation that has engulfed Gaza during Israel's genocidal war on the territory. The Gaza City resident says surfing has become more than a hobby. Amid displacement, destruction and the daily struggle to survive, it provides a rare sense of calm.
"It is not easy for anyone to live under the endless Israeli war," al-Sousi told The New Arab. "The sea is the only place where I can breathe. When I am on the waves, even for a short time, I feel removed from everything happening around us. The fear, the stress, the news. It all fades for a while."
Like many Palestinians in Gaza, al-Sousi has been repeatedly displaced during the war. His family home was partially damaged in Israeli attacks, forcing them to move several times.
Against that backdrop, surfing has evolved from a recreational pastime into a lifeline.
"Life in Gaza has completely changed," he said. "There is constant pressure. When I am in the water, I feel like I leave all of that behind, even if only for a short period."
His experience reflects a wider reality across the Gaza Strip , where humanitarian organisations and mental health specialists have warned of a deepening psychological crisis after months of war, displacement, bereavement and uncertainty.
"The majority of people are living under tremendous psychological pressure," Abdullah al-Jamal, director of a mental health programme in Gaza, told TNA . "Many are searching for ways to cope with trauma and anxiety. Physical activities, including those connected to the sea, can provide a temporary outlet from the daily stress people are experiencing."
Al-Jamal stressed that recreational activities cannot replace professional psychological support, but said they can help people manage stress in an environment where mental health services are overwhelmed and resources remain scarce. Riding the waves through war Al-Sousi first discovered surfing at 17 through a youth initiative on Gaza's coastline.
What began as a challenge soon became a passion.
"In the beginning, it was very difficult. I fell many times and thought about quitting," he said. "But I kept practising until surfing became something I couldn't imagine living without."
Today, he says, the sport helps him endure a reality shaped by war.
"Sometimes we go to the sea carrying fear, anxiety and difficult thoughts. When we return, we feel calmer and more capable of continuing with our lives," he adds.
Twenty-seven-year-old Youssef Baraka shares a similar experience.
The mobile phone repair technician said Gaza's coastline remains one of the few places where he can briefly disconnect from the pressures of war.
"Most of our time is spent trying to secure basic necessities and continue working despite everything," he said. "The sea is one of the only places where I can regain some peace."
Before the war, Baraka was part of a small but growing surfing community that gathered regularly along Gaza's coast.
"Before the war, we used to meet almost every day," he said. "Now everything has changed. Some of our friends have been displaced, some lost their homes, and others have stopped surfing altogether because of the circumstances," he said. A sport struggling to survive The war has also made it increasingly difficult for Gaza's surfers to continue the sport.
"Obtaining a new surfboard has become nearly impossible," surfer Ibrahim Abu Dalal told TNA . "Many boards were damaged or lost during the war."
Instead, surfers share equipment and repeatedly repair ageing boards using whatever materials they can find.
Before the war, surfing was slowly growing in popularity among Gaza's youth, with community initiatives introducing newcomers to the sport and local surfers hoping to build links with clubs and trainers abroad.
Those ambitions have largely been suspended.
"The priorities of people have changed," Abu Dalal said. "Everyone is focused on safety, shelter, food and the basic requirements of daily life."
Yet many remain determined to continue.
"We may not be able to train the way we used to, but we try to maintain this sport because it gives us a different feeling and helps us keep going," he said.
For Gaza's surfers, the sea cannot change the reality around them.
But amid displacement, bombardment and humanitarian hardship, it offers something increasingly rare: a brief sense of freedom, a connection to community and a chance to momentarily escape the pressures of life under war.