Courtesy of Red Bull Media Service Team
The duo performed back flips across damaged buildings in Gaza.
First inspired by a parkour YouTube video, Mohammed Aljakhabir and Ahmad Matar began filming their own videos as they jumped off ruined buildings in the Khan Yunis refugee camp in Gaza.
In 2017 they reflected on their remarkable journey from conflicts in Palestine to teaching children the craft of parkour in Sweden.
Here is all you need to know:
– Aljakhabir and Matar gained a following for their stunning parkour videos which showed them performing back flips and somersaults across Gaza’s damaged city walls and buildings, with bombs even exploding in the background on occasion.
– The duo were met with skepticism by fellow residents who thought they were stealing so decided to turn a nearby cemetery into a parkour playground.
– The pair left the Khan Yunis refugee camp in 2012, leaving behind family and friends, moving to Sweden where they continued to showcase their love of parkour.
– They began coaching parkour to children, teaching more than 80 kids, and dream of setting up a parkour gym back in Gaza.
– Aljakhabir said: “Parkour makes me feel like I can overcome all obstacles in my life. There is nothing stopping you. You try until you get your goals.”
– Matter said: “When I started parkour my family changed my mind about me. They became proud because parkour is dangerous. It makes me happy as it makes my family happy about it. Parkour is the only thing I was born to do in my life.”