BETHLEHEM / GAZA: Thousands of Palestinian and international runners took part Friday in the 10th Palestine International Marathon in the occupied West Bank city of Bethlehem, while a parallel race was held in Gaza for the first time in two years following disruptions caused by Israel’s war on the enclave.
The 42-kilometer marathon began early Friday near the Church of the Nativity, drawing participants from across Palestine and abroad.
Marathon coordinator Itidal Abdul Ghani said this year’s event carried a message of “the unity of the homeland,” with simultaneous races held in both the occupied West Bank and Gaza.
Organizers also arranged a separate 5-kilometer race in central Gaza stretching northward from Wadi Gaza Bridge.
According to organizers, more than 13,000 people participated overall, including 2,523 runners in Gaza and around 1,000 foreign participants from 75 countries.
A virtual marathon held between April 17 and 21 also attracted more than 5,000 participants from 88 countries.
The event included several categories, including the full marathon, a half marathon, a 10-kilometer race, and a 5-kilometer family run.
The marathon was organized by the Palestinian Higher Council for Youth and Sports, the Palestinian Olympic Committee, and Bethlehem Municipality.
Participants ran through streets lined with Israeli checkpoints and sections of the separation wall, with many carrying Palestinian flags and wearing keffiyehs in a show of solidarity with Gaza.
The marathon, first launched in 2013 to highlight restrictions on Palestinian freedom of movement under Israeli occupation, has since become both a major sporting event and a symbol of peaceful resistance.
The race took place amid continued Israeli military operations in Gaza and rising violence across the occupied West Bank since October 2023.
Palestinian officials say at least 1,155 Palestinians have been killed and nearly 11,750 injured in the West Bank since the start of the Gaza war, while more than 72,000 people have been killed and over 172,000 injured in Gaza.
