Palestinian sculptors create art on Gaza beach sand to escape Israel’s war

Everything around Gaza’s shoreline has been reduced to rubble by the Israeli military, but the coast still offers some fleeting solace from the horrors of ongoing death and destruction in the besieged Palestinian enclave.

Local artists have been creating sand sculptures on the beach, gathering people on the shoreline that used to attract large crowds before the devastation of Israel’s genocidal war.
Yazid Abu Jarad and his team carve letters in the sand using tape measures, drawing a crowd, including children scarred by the relentless Israeli attacks, which have continued despite last month’s ceasefire with Hamas brokered by the United States and mediators.

“When we create art on Gaza’s beach, we see so many people gather around us. It brings joy – you can see it on the faces of children and even the elderly. People drift into a different world for a moment,” he told Al Jazeera’s Ibrahim al-Khalili.

“They look at the artwork and see an image completely different from what they’ve been used to since the war began – the bombings, destruction, and the buzzing of drones. Through our drawings, even a small picture can change how they feel.”