Gaza children swim to rediscover happiness and lost childhood amid war
For seven-year-old Camelia Hadi, swimming is more than just a sport. It gives her a moment of happiness and a chance to feel the joy of childhood again after years of war.
Hadi’s laughter echoed as she swam with dozens of other children in the waters near Khan Younis beach in the southern Gaza Strip. For a few hours, she looked like any other child her age, enjoying playing in the water and learning to swim with her friends.
But for Hadi, such moments are rare.
The little girl was four years old when the war began in October 2023 and has since been displaced more than 20 times after her family lost their home. The hardship has also forced her to take on responsibilities beyond her years, including helping her family obtain water and bread.
“When I am here, I feel like a normal child. I laugh, play and learn to swim. I hope we can always go to the sea and live without fear,” she said.
Hadi is one of hundreds of children taking part in ‘Swim With Gaza’, a swimming event organised by the Gaza-based Tantish Swimming Academy and running until the end of this month.
The initiative aims to give children the opportunity to take part in sporting and recreational activities, while helping them develop swimming skills and regain a sense of normality after years of war.
Among the participants is 11-year-old Farah Hassan Abu Halima, who said she initially felt afraid and anxious about joining the swimming classes. Her feelings changed after she arrived at the event.
“At first, I felt scared and anxious, but when I heard about the courses, I was encouraged to sign up. When I arrived, I found a wonderful atmosphere. The swimming coaches and the activities made us happy and lifted our spirits,” Halima said.
Amjad Tantish, head of the Tantish Swimming Academy, said more than 2,500 children have learned to swim since the season began in June, when the initiative was relaunched after being suspended during the war.
According to Tantish, the ‘Swim With Gaza’ week has also attracted participants at dozens of locations around the world as a show of solidarity with the children of Gaza. He said the initiative aims to help children cope with the difficult conditions they are experiencing.
“These swimming lessons are not just about sport. They give children the chance to play, have fun and escape for a while from the harsh conditions around them.”
He said swimming skills also have practical benefits in Gaza, where many children spend time near the sea. He added that the initiative also pays tribute to six swimming instructors who were killed during the war, including his brother.
The need for such activities is increasingly evident from the impact of the war on children in Gaza. Since October 2023, more than 21,500 Palestinian children have been killed, while many others have been injured, orphaned or displaced, according to the Hamas-run Gaza government media office in July.
Abdullah al-Jamal, director of Gaza’s psychiatric hospital, described the psychological situation as extremely severe, especially among children experiencing moderate to severe war-related disorders.
“Children feel unsafe and afraid, which negatively affects their lives and risks causing long-term trauma and disorders,” al-Jamal said.
A 2024 survey showed that 96 per cent of children in surveyed households in Gaza felt that death was near, while 92 per cent struggled to accept their new reality.
Twelve-year-old Ismail Qudaih from Khan Younis said taking part in the swimming activities has given him moments of happiness and helped him briefly forget the painful memories of the war, which claimed the lives of his mother and three siblings.
“When I get into the water, I feel different. For a while, I stop thinking about the war and everything that has happened to my family. I can swim, play and laugh with the other children,” he said.
His father, Ibrahim Qudaih, said the most meaningful change has been seeing his son smile again and enjoy playtime.
“Children in Gaza need a place where they can feel safe and simply be children. They need to play, exercise, laugh and meet other children. These things may seem small, but for a child who has lost his mother and siblings, they can make an enormous difference,” the father added.