Gaza/Nawa Network-Filastiniyat:
While reconnaissance aircraft hover over the displacement camps in the "Mawasi" area of KhanYunis in the southern Gaza Strip, Palestinian boxing coach Osama Ayoub emerges from his tent carrying some household items: a pot lid, a pillow, and a colorful mat, which he prepares for the first round.
After the Israeli war on Gaza entered its tenth month, coach Osama decided to reorganize himself and return to his favorite sport by offering free boxing training to a group of displaced children, both boys and girls, teaching them the skills and ethics of the sport.
Because he was forcibly displaced from his home in Gaza City, like hundreds of thousands of Palestinians who fled from rockets, shells, and fire belts after Israel declared war on the Strip on October 7th, Osama left behind all his equipment and memories. This compelled him to rely on available cooking utensils and the tent to conduct training sessions for the children as required.
Osama, 39 years old, says: "Equipment is important, but under these exceptional conditions we are living in Gaza, willpower is the most important. With willpower, we can overcome any problem."
The trainees call their coach "Captain Osama." Some of them had known him well before the war, as he was a coach for the same sport at the YMCA and Al-Mashtal Sports Club before founding his club. According to what we are told, boxing was very popular among both genders at that time, with the number of trainees in his private club reaching over 150 boys and girls.
Osama lost all his equipment in the club he established, which was completely destroyed, and he lost additional equipment in his home, partially damaged.
"Equipment is important, but under these exceptional conditions we are living in "Gaza, willpower is the most important
Osama left Gaza City on October 13 and was displaced with his family of five to Rafah, on the southern border of the Gaza Strip, following orders from the occupying army to evacuate the city and the northern areas of the Strip. There, he was preoccupied with the life problems caused by the war: securing food, fetching water, obtaining medicine, and protecting his children.
He adds, "But I never forgot my love for boxing, so I went to shelters in schools and displacement camps and offered to train the children for free."
After the invasion of Rafah on May 6, coach Ayoub moved to Mawasi Khan Yunis, like approximately 1.4 million residents who were forced to flee again due to the war.
Osama adds, "There, I found great approval and enthusiasm for the training, and the administrations of the residential camps in central Gaza began requesting me to come and train the children."
Coach Osama resumed his initiative and received approval from a local landowner to train the children and anyone interested in learning the art of boxing.
Osama speaks about the strong will of this generation, "despite the crimes, killings, destruction, and displacement they face." He says, "Thirty girls and forty boys are training now. I have divided the days between them in a completely fair manner. They all want to learn, and they all tell me they will continue this sport even after the war ends."
Hala has known her coach Osama for five years and couldn't believe her eyes when she saw him among them in the same camp. Her joy increased when he told her he would resume training in the same camp. She said, "During training, we forget for a while that we are living under fire. Boxing helps me release all my negative emotions and cope with the burdens that have been heavier than my age for about ten months."
Despite the lack of professional training equipment, Hala believes the coach is capable of continuing the instruction with minimal resources. She adds, "This mat serves as the ring, and we use some covers and utensils as substitutes for the required equipment."
Hala, 18 years old, dreams of becoming a professional boxer and representing Palestine in international competitions.
This same dream has also inspired 13-year-old Ahmed Shaat, who is trying the sport for the first time. He said, "I attended the first training session, felt excited, and loved the game. I feel it will help me develop my personality."
The coach allocates three days a week for the girls and the same amount of time for boys, with each session lasting an hour. He uses training tools each time, which he creates from available materials in the surrounding environment, to achieve the goal of teaching the basics and techniques of the sport.
Osama has previously participated in Arab championships in Egypt, Lebanon, and Algeria, and he dreams that the war will end so he can establish a Palestinian national boxing team to compete in regional and international sports events.
