In the war-ravaged streets of Gaza, where rubble and ruin stretch as far as the eye can see, an unlikely sight emerges: determined paracyclists, pedaling through the devastation with unbreakable spirits. Among them is Hazem Suleiman, a former footballer turned photographer and activist, who lost his leg to a bullet during border protests in 2018. Now, as a member of the Gaza Sunbirds paracycling team, he rides not only for his own Paralympic dreams but also to deliver vital aid to his suffering community.
Dreams Deferred but Not Defeated
The Sunbirds had their sights set on representing Palestine at the 2024 Paralympics in Paris. They trained relentlessly, even as their roads turned to rubble beneath their wheels. In May, they achieved a milestone: competing internationally for the first time at the Para-Cycling Road World Cup in Belgium and Italy. But the full realization of their Paralympic aspirations was shattered by the Israeli assault on Gaza in October 2023, following Hamas attacks.
Suleiman and his young family of 10 fled their home, seeking shelter for 41 harrowing days. Upon returning, they found a neighborhood in ruins, bodies of friends and neighbors strewn among the debris. Undaunted, they pitched their blue tent amidst the destruction, tiling the floor to affirm: “These are our homes. We care about these details.”
Pedaling Through the Impossible
For the Sunbirds, even the once-smooth asphalt roads they trained on have become treacherous tracks of shattered concrete. “All the decent roads were destroyed,” Suleiman laments. “No matter how good a cyclist you are, it’s so difficult to use them.” But still, they ride. Each morning at 6 am, Suleiman sets out on his bike, fighting against sky-high prices to gather food, stealing glimpses of the sea – clinging to any semblance of normalcy.
“I want to prove to the world that I am unstoppable, that I can continue doing my job with one leg, that even in a war I will risk my life to take photos and tell the world what’s happening, that even after shells fell on our homes, we rose from under the rubble.”
– Hazem Suleiman
From Athletes to Aid Workers
With their athletic aspirations on hold, the Sunbirds have shifted gears to focus on delivering desperately needed aid to their ravaged community. Co-founder Karim Ali says they’ve stopped counting the lives lost among their own circles. “We have to adapt to the situation the world has put us in, but the entire system isn’t built for it.”
Through overseas donations, the team works tirelessly to ensure food reaches the hands of the hungry, even as access to aid plummets. They dream of establishing a paracycling and rehabilitation center for Gaza’s tens of thousands of new amputees, aiming to put “people with disabilities in the driving seat” of rebuilding accessibly.
The Unbreakable Bonds of Gaza
For Suleiman, leaving Gaza has never been an option, even as it becomes an impossibility. “Even if I had the option to live in any part of world, I would always choose Gaza,” he affirms. “There is a relationship between Gaza and its people that no one can understand – I would never want to leave this place.”
His own organization, Mulham Charity Team, provides hot meals to neighbors in need. But his ultimate dream remains achingly simple: to wake to a ceasefire, to be fitted for a proper prosthetic leg. With each passing amputee, he pauses to offer support and solidarity. And as he rides through the rubble, he clings to one unwavering hope: “My main dream is to wake up tomorrow to a ceasefire. This is what we’ve always wanted.”
