Gaza Skate Team member Hamza Daher recently pulled up Instagram to share a message that has been sitting heavy with the group for a long time.
He said that they are not asking for anything extravagant. The request is simple, they just want a chance to breathe a little easier and give the kids they work with something stable and safe to hold onto during difficult days.
For three years now, not a single skateboard has made its way into the Gaza Strip.
Every board the team once had has been used until it could no longer be repaired. Some are cracked beyond use, others have completely fallen apart, and many are no longer safe for children to ride.
As time passed, even basic activities slowly came to a halt because the tools they rely on disappeared one by one.
The Gaza Skate Team works closely with young people in the area.
Their focus is on giving kids a break from the constant noise and pressure that surrounds daily life.
When they are skating, even for a short time, the children are able to focus on movement, balance, and being around each other instead of everything happening outside their small space.
For many of them, this has been a place where they can laugh, learn, and feel a sense of normal routine, even if only for a while.
Hamza explained that skateboarding has always meant more than just riding a board. It gives structure to their time, it gives them something to learn and improve at, and it gives them a chance to simply be kids.
With no new equipment coming in, that space has slowly disappeared.
What makes the situation even more difficult is that there are skateboards located only a short distance away.
They are available and ready to be sent, but they are unable to enter.
The items remain out of reach due to shipping restrictions and administrative delays that have kept them from reaching the people who need them.
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The team is now calling on anyone who can help to step forward.
They are asking organizations, advocates, and individuals who have influence to look into ways of moving equipment through approved humanitarian channels.
They mention options like working with aid groups and any legitimate process that would allow supplies to be delivered safely.
At the center of their message is a focus on the children.
The team wants them to have something that helps them feel active, engaged, and supported.
They describe how even small moments of movement can change a child’s day, giving them something to look forward to and a chance to step away from stress.
Hamza ended by thanking everyone who listens, shares, or tries to help in any way.