Palestinian girls compete in a rare Gaza boxing contest
Young Palestinian girls competed in a female boxing contest on Friday in the Gaza Strip, where the sport is mostly popular with men.
Friday’s contest was attended by dozens of spectators.
Hala Ayoub, 15-year-old boxer, told Reuters she hoped the contest would show people that boxing is not only a man’s sport.
“My ambition is to become a famous boxer and to raise the flag of Palestine and fight in local and international contests,” said Hala.
She added, “Boxing taught me how to defend myself, and how to release bad energy.”
Ali Abdel-Shafi, deputy chairman of the Palestinian Boxing Federation, told Reuters that some of the girls from Friday’s contest would be selected to join the Palestinians’ boxing team and take part in a competition in Kuwait in February.
“This is the first championship I’ve taken part in. There is tension because of the audience and the noise but I am excited as well,” said Malak Mesleh, one of the boxers.
