SHOTLIST:

GAZA STRIP, PALESTINE (DEC. 4, 2025) (ANADOLU - ACCESS ALL)

1. GAZAN BOXER SEMIH BEDR SUUD PREPARING FOR TRAINING AND HEADING TO PRACTICE AREA

2. VARIOUS OF BOXER TRAINING WITH COACH

3. (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) GAZAN BOXER SEMIH BEDR SUUD SAYING:

"I started practicing sports when I was 12 years old. I pushed myself hard and competed in local tournaments, earning rankings in two weight classes, 54 kg and 57 kg. In 2022, I stopped for a while after an injury. I was unlucky during a qualifying championship in Jordan. We later returned, worked hard again, and continued preparing. I was supposed to compete in a championship in Kazakhstan before the war broke out.
When the war started, we were displaced from Al-Bureij Camp to another camp, living in cars. I suffered an eye injury during the displacement inside a school used as a shelter. I went for treatment, and the doctor told me, 'Your recovery needs patience.' He said the shrapnel entered the eye from inside and couldn’t be removed.
That’s when my boxing performance started to drop. My level kept declining—little by little. I used to train at 100%, easily completing ten rounds. Then, suddenly, I could only manage two rounds and would get exhausted, unable to continue. My strength kept decreasing until I could no longer keep going.
I eventually finished high school. God willing, if we are lucky and manage to leave someday, I hope to continue my journey. My first goal abroad would be proper treatment, because I can no longer handle wind or cold—the shrapnel in my eye made me weaker, especially in winter. That injury affected my boxing performance significantly.
The morning training sessions taught us that no matter how much pressure you face, you should never break. No matter what happens, never give up. Even though I lost a big part of my life, my father encouraged me and kept my dream alive. I will practice this sport until my last breath.
We still dream, and we still have ambition. We must raise our flag in international events. Gaza has produced so many talented athletes—runners, football players, boxers. Many lost an eye, a leg, an arm… We lost a huge part of our lives and ourselves.
But despite everything we lost, our circumstances taught us that we will not break. We will always pursue our dreams—no matter what people say, no matter how dark things get."

4. SUUD POSING FOR CAMERAS

5. VARIOUS OF SUUD'S FATHER DROPPING EYE DROPS INTO HIS EYES

GAZA STRIP, PALESTINE - DEC. 4: Semih Bedr Suud, a 17-year-old Palestinian boxer from Gaza, is determined to continue pursuing his dreams despite losing an eye in an Israeli strike that hit the school where his family had sought shelter.

The attack occurred after his displacement from Al-Bureij Camp to a UNRWA school in Nuseirat, where he had taken refuge as fighting intensified during the two-year offensive.

According to Gaza sports authorities, 894 Palestinian athletes have been killed and 292 sports facilities, stadiums and gyms rendered unusable during the Israeli military operations.

Suud, who began boxing at age 12 and had represented Palestine in local and international competitions, said the strike changed the course of his life but did not end his commitment to the sport.

Suud had won local tournaments in the 54 kg and 57 kg categories and competed in the 2022 Asia Championships in Jordan before returning home to prepare for an event in Kazakhstan. Those preparations halted when the war began, forcing him into displacement and ultimately leading to the injury that cost him his vision in one eye.

He said treatment for the injury is not available in Gaza. His boxing performance has declined since the attack; he noted that he once completed ten rounds in training but now tires after two.

Having recently finished high school, he hopes to leave Gaza for medical treatment if circumstances allow. Suud said he is sensitive to cold and wind due to his injury but remains committed to continuing.

"The morning training sessions taught us that no matter how much pressure you face, you should never break. No matter what happens, never give up. Even though I lost a big part of my life, my father encouraged me and kept my dream alive. I will practice this sport until my last breath. We must raise our flag in international events."

He added that Gaza has produced champions in basketball, football, and boxing. "Many lost an eye, a leg, an arm… We lost a huge part of our lives and ourselves. But despite everything we lost, our circumstances taught us that we will not break. We will always pursue our dreams—no matter what people say, no matter how dark things get," he said.