Gaza girls fighting back from the rubble
Young girls fiercely striking a punchbag between rows of refugee tents is more than just exercise. For these young people aged from five to 25 boxing symbolises deep resistance to ethnic cleansing. “Boxing liberated a part of me,” says co-founder of Gaza Boxing Women, Rima Abu Rahma who discovered the sport aged 21 in 2020. She persuaded male boxing coach Oussama Ayub to train her. “It made me feel like I had ownership of my body.”
What began as friends training together became Gaza’s first boxing space for women, challenging the idea that boxing isn’t for women. After the Israeli military destroyed their club in 2024, some members started again in southern Gaza. Amid hunger, aid blockades, poor shelter, loss and grief they continue to box.
Ayub was determined to train his troupe again. He said: “Some of the girls knew me and asked if I could train them – I immediately agreed. It was a way to stay resilient and bring a sense of normal life into our days.”
On the first day, 50 girls showed up. With no gym, he improvised. “I trained them using my hands and pillows as substitutes for a punching bag,” he said. Now they meet three times a week, two hours a time, share one punchbag and ten pairs of gloves between 40 girls. They desperately need training gear, but Israel forbids entry of sports kit into Gaza.
“Many of the girls have gone through extremely difficult situations. Some lost their mothers, fathers or siblings,” Ayub says. “They tell me that focusing on the exercises relieves them instead of constantly thinking about painful events.
“Our love for training kept us going,” said 16-year-old Rahaf Oda. “I feel like I’m with my family here. I feel an incredible amount of energy and strength.” Boxer Remas Ayoub, said: “I used to be shy and withdrawn. Being around the girls has helped my personality grow. I feel stronger now.”
For now, the girls continue to hold onto dreams of freedom – to travel, compete and train in a proper gym.
