Gaza kids use concrete rubble for death-defying parkour playground
A slip while performing a stunt could be deadly, but kids say they enjoy thrill of danger
War-torn Gaza isn't exactly a playground, but the young people who live there won't let that stop them from having fun.
Concrete debris is all that's left where buildings once stood in the Gaza Strip, a small coastal region along the Mediterranean Sea. This dangerous environment may not appear suited for recreation, but that's exactly what is going on in Gaza.
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Parkour, the daring activity that involves stunts, jumps and running from one area to another, has become a popular escape for some fresh-faced residents of Gaza.
Team Gaza Parkour was founded 10 years ago by Mohammed Aljkhbeer and Abdallah Enshasy after Israeli forces withdrew from the region, according to the Telegraph in the U.K.
For the Gaza parkour team, a slip could lead to disaster, but that doesn't deter youthful participants.
"Yes, it is dangerous," says Abdullah Alkasib, a Gaza parkour team member, in an interview with CNN. "I love danger," he adds.
"When I do this, I feel free, I feel like a bird flying in the air, flying in the sky, because we want freedom.
"We don't care about fighting, we don't care about military," Alkasib says. "We just care about parkour."