A mobile skatepark moving between displacement camps in Gaza is providing rare mental health support to children trapped in one of the world\u2019s most severe humanitarian crises, where trauma and grief are rife.<\/p>\n
Amid the wreckage of Gaza City, where collapsed buildings and twisted concrete dominate the landscape, a group of young Palestinians has transformed the destruction into an unlikely playground.<\/p>\n list of 3 items<\/span>end of list<\/span><\/section>\n Since the fragile ceasefire began on October 10, skateboard coaches have been running sessions that offer traumatised children brief moments of freedom and normalcy.<\/p>\n \u201cWe used to have skateparks in the Gaza Strip; this was our dream here in Gaza,\u201d said Rajab al-Reifi, one of the coaches working with the children. \u201cBut unfortunately, after we finally achieved that dream and built skateparks, the war came and destroyed everything.\u201d<\/p>\n The skateboarding initiative operates against a backdrop of continuing Israeli violence despite the ceasefire.<\/p>\n Israeli forces have killed at least 260 Palestinians and wounded 632 others since the truce began on October 10, with attacks occurring on 25 of the past 31 days.<\/p>\n The sessions face severe challenges.<\/p>\n With equipment shortages across Gaza, every skateboard wheel and piece of wood has become precious. Al-Reifi often repairs damaged boards between sessions, knowing replacements are nearly impossible to obtain.<\/p>\n One of the few flat courtyards to survive Israel\u2019s bombardment provides a training ground for beginners, while more adventurous skaters have turned piles of rubble and collapsed walls into makeshift ramps and obstacles.<\/p>\n Rimas Dalloul, another dedicated coach, works to keep the children engaged despite the dire conditions.<\/p>\n \u201cWe don\u2019t have enough skateboards for everyone, and there is no protective gear,\u201d she explained. \u201cTheir clothes are all they have to help cushion them when they fall. They get injured sometimes, but they always come back. The desire to play is stronger than the pain.\u201d<\/p>\n Among the young skaters is seven-year-old Marah Salem, who has been practicing for seven months.<\/p>\n \u201cI come here to have fun. I don\u2019t want to skip any sessions; I want to be consistent,\u201d she said. \u201cEven during the war, I used to skateboard. I used to run away from the bombardment to skate on the streets.\u201d<\/p>\n Her determination reflects a broader resilience among Gaza\u2019s children, who have endured nearly two years of Israeli military assault.<\/p>\n The skateboarding sessions offer children a form of recreation and a temporary escape, but also a means to process trauma and a communal activity.<\/p>\n The mental health needs of Gaza\u2019s children remain staggering.<\/p>\n Humanitarian organisations had already identified more than one million Palestinian children in need of mental health services before the latest conflict intensified.<\/p>\n The scale of the conflict means no child has been shielded from its psychological impact, with mass displacement, family separations, and widespread casualties affecting the entire young population.<\/p>\nRecommended Stories <\/h2>\n
![\"Gaza](\"https:\/\/www.aljazeera.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Screenshot-2025-11-16-at-3.17.56-PM-1763295853.png?w=770&resize=770%2C549&quality=80\")
Making do with what\u2019s left<\/h3>\n
![\"Gaza](\"https:\/\/www.aljazeera.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Screenshot-2025-11-16-at-3.18.55-PM-1763295867.png?w=770&resize=770%2C584&quality=80\")
\u2018I used to run from bombardment to skate\u2019<\/h3>\n