Severe hunger has seen the athletes struggle to maintain the muscle mass to workout on makeshift equipment.

Jerusalem

Israel and Iran have agreed a ceasefire after a twelve day conflict. Meanwhile, Israel strikes in Gaza continue with the humanitarian crisis deepening.

Middle East Conflict

Bodybuilding has remained a popular sport in the Gaza Strip, even as travel restrictions and the blockade limited opportunities to compete abroad. The ongoing conflict has made it increasingly difficult for athletes to maintain their fitness, with many now training less frequently and for shorter periods. Severe food shortages have compounded these challenges, as highlighted by United Nations warnings of widespread hunger in Gaza.

Some athletes have adapted by creating makeshift gyms in displacement camps, with coaches striving to maintain a sense of normalcy and hope. For many, maintaining muscle mass and continuing to train has become both a personal struggle and a form of resilience in the face of adversity.

Gazan bodybuilders struggle to keep up form amid ongoing war

Bodybuilding has long been a popular sport in the Gaza Strip, among men, and before the ongoing war, also a tiny but growing number of women. While Israeli travel restrictions and other obstacles as a result of its blockade made competing abroad difficult, it remained one of the few accessible sports. Now, 22 months into Israel's relentless bombardment of the Palestinian enclave, athletes are struggling to keep up their form. The United Nations has warned of catastrophic hunger in Gaza, saying one in every three people has not eaten for days. Amid this, maintaining the muscle mass to work out has become an act of survival and resistance. A young athlete in southern Gaza told Al Jazeera he only manages to train once or twice a week now and for far less time. His gym is a makeshift facility in a sprawling tent camp for displaced people. The coach, a former international powerlifting champion, has created what one might call a sanctuary as the athletes hope for an end to the war and a chance to compete again.

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Israel begins Gaza City operation

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New York

Trump civil fraud case $527 million penalty thrown out

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Washington

Global Tariffs

U.S. and EU lock in trade deal

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Israel says it began Gaza City expansion

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Austin

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Moscow

Ukraine Invasion

Russia signals more talks needed before Zelenskyy-Putin meeting

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Texas

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Israel calls up 60,000 reservists ahead of Gaza City operation

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Trump expanding steel and aluminum tariffs

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Brussels

NATO chiefs meet virtually about potential Ukraine security guarantees

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Israel approves next phase of Gaza offensive, focus on Gaza City

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North Carolina

Hurricane Erin forces evacuations on U.S. East Coast

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Trump says no U.S. ground troops will be sent to Ukraine

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New Delhi

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Toronto

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Hong Kong Island

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East Coast of the United States

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Los Angeles

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La Paz

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Kyiv

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Gazan bodybuilders struggle to keep up form amid ongoing war

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Middle East Conflict