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PK Gaza

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PK Gaza
Established2005
Location
Founders
Abdallah Inshasi & Mohammed Al-Jakhbir

PK Gaza (Gaza Parkour) is a parkour and freerunning team based in the Gaza Strip, Palestine. The team was established in 2005 by a group of young athletes who were introduced to parkour through online videos. Despite the constraints of living in a conflict zone, the team has continued their commitment to the sport. PK Gaza practices parkour as a way to navigate physical and psychological obstacles, promoting movement in a region where access and mobility are frequently restricted due to the ongoing conflict.[1][2][3][4][5][6]

History

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In 2005, while living in Khan Yunis refugee camp, friends Mohammed Al-Jakhbir and Abdallah Inshasi,[7][8] were introduced to parkour after watching parkour videos on YouTube. They recruited other young people, who they knew from martial arts classes,[8] to join their informal team including Ahmed Matar, Abdallab Al-Qassab, Jehad Abu-Sultan, Mousa Amer .[9][10][11][12][13][14]

The team did not have access to parkour teachers, and taught themselves skills by watching videos online.[8] They began training in the ruins of bombed-out buildings, rubble, and confined urban spaces. Initially, other locals were unsupportive of the group, leading them to train in a cemetery. Matar began uploading videos of their practice sessions online, and the group slowly gained popularity both online and in person.[9][15][16]

Parkour allowed the athletes to express themselves, mentally escape from their surroundings, and inspire others in Gaza.[17][10][18]

By 2012, the Gaza Parkour team had grown to 18 members, aged between 17 and 25.[10] In 2013, AlJakhbir and Inshasi moved to Sweden.[1][9] After they left Gaza, Matar became the team leader. In 2016, Matar was invited to compete in a parkour event in Sweden, and he decided to stay there. Following Matar's departure, Abdallah AlQassab took over leadership of the team in Gaza.[8][19][20]


PK Gaza were featured in the 2011 short film Free Running Gaza.[21]

References

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  1. ^ a b Roden, Lee (2018-04-09). "'Every day since I came to Sweden feels like a dream': From Gaza to Gothenburg through parkour". The Local.
  2. ^ impolitikal (2017-01-31). "Q&A | Ahmad Matar: Learning parkour in Gaza made me feel free". IMPOLITIKAL. Retrieved 2024-09-08.
  3. ^ Yaghi, Mai (2021-01-25). "In Gaza, parkour brings youngsters a taste of freedom - Lifestyle". The Jakarta Post. Agence France-Presse. Retrieved 2024-09-08.
  4. ^ "The Freerunners of Khan Yunis". The Urban Activist. 2024-09-11. Retrieved 2024-09-12.
  5. ^ "Free Running Gaza". Al Jazeera. 2017-07-03. Retrieved 2024-09-08.
  6. ^ "The Free Runners of Gaza". Ruben Hamelink. Retrieved 2024-09-08.
  7. ^ Perez, Chris (2014-11-24). "Palestinian teens turn bombed out Gaza into parkour playground". Retrieved 2024-09-10.
  8. ^ a b c d Yalcinkaya, Gunseli (2022-08-31). "The Gaza parkour group taking back a part of their city". Huck. Retrieved 2024-09-08.
  9. ^ a b c Vaillant, Tom (2017-09-22). "Palestinian parkour: Meet the wallrunners of Gaza". www.redbull.com. Retrieved 2024-09-08.
  10. ^ a b c "Gaza parkour - creating positive ripple effects amongst the ruins". Moa Dickmark. 2014-11-25. Retrieved 2024-09-08.
  11. ^ "Parkour in Palestine". domusweb.it. Retrieved 2024-09-10.
  12. ^ O'Keefe, Faisal (2014-12-02). "Gaza Parkour: positive change is in the air - Green Prophet". Retrieved 2024-09-10.
  13. ^ "After Banksy: the parkour guide to Gaza". Archinect. Retrieved 2024-09-10.
  14. ^ "The Freerunners of Khan Yunis". The Urban Activist. 2024-09-11. Retrieved 2024-09-11.
  15. ^ "Parkour in Gaza". Emirates Man. Retrieved 2024-09-10 – via PressReader.
  16. ^ Robertson, Nic (2015-06-02). "The Gaza that you didn't know". CNN. Retrieved 2024-09-10.
  17. ^ "Parkour 'provides escape' in Gaza". BBC News. Retrieved 2024-09-08.
  18. ^ "'Open Gaza' book brings together architects, environmentalists and more on rebuilding Gaza". KUNR Public Radio. 2024-01-01. Retrieved 2024-09-08.
  19. ^ impolitikal (2017-01-31). "Q&A | Ahmad Matar: Learning parkour in Gaza made me feel free". IMPOLITIKAL. Retrieved 2024-09-10.
  20. ^ Radosh, Noa (2016-08-29). "Collective Rooftop Jump: Conquering the Art of Parkour". Medium. Retrieved 2024-09-10.
  21. ^ "Free Running Gaza". Al Jazeera.
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