Gaza Envelope Sports Communities Rebuild Three Years After October 7th Massacre
Translated & summarized from Mako by baba
Sports communities in Israel's Gaza Envelope are rebuilding three years after the October 7th massacre. Initiatives like the Hapoel Eshkol basketball team and the Sha'ar HaNegev gymnastics center are helping residents cope with loss and trauma. Players and managers emphasize sports' role in providing stability and a sense of normalcy. The late head of the council, Ofir Liebstein, championed enabling residents to live well in the region.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Sports communities in Gaza Envelope are rebuilding three years after the October 7th massacre.
- Eyal Tzidon finds solace in basketball after his father's death in the war.
- Gymnast Alma Kapah trains despite family evacuation after surviving the Nahal Oz massacre.
- Sports provide stability and an anchor for children in the Gaza Envelope.
- The late head of the council, Ofir Liebstein, supported enabling residents to live well in the region.
Three years after the October 7th massacre, sports communities in the Gaza Envelope are actively working to recover and rebuild. The Hapoel Eshkol basketball team, which includes Eyal Tzidon, son of the late Avi Tzidon, is one such initiative. Eyal Tzidon shared that it took him time to recover from the loss, describing the period as the "saddest days of my life." He found solace in basketball, which helped him cope with his grief and the constant reminders of his father.
At the Sha'ar HaNegev gymnastics center, 15-year-old Alma Kapah continues her training despite her family being evacuated after surviving the massacre in Nahal Oz. Her father drives her three hours, three times a week for practice. Kapah expressed determination to compete in the World Championships. Daphna Siboni, manager of the sports department at Sha'ar HaNegev, recalled the late head of the council, Ofir Liebstein, who was murdered on October 7th. Liebstein believed in enabling residents to live their best lives in the Gaza Envelope, and Siboni stated that sports provide stability and an anchor for children. Naama Becher, whose son plays for Hapoel Eshkol, acknowledged the lingering trauma, noting that "there is a scar that is always there and there are days when it feels more burning."
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