‘Iron Man of Gaza’: Mohammed Albess vows to rebuild his gym destroyed in Israeli strike

By Musa Iqbal

After 444 days of Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza, much of what everyday life looked like for hundreds of thousands of Palestinians in the blockaded territory has been annihilated.

Hospitals have been reduced to rubble, schools have been destroyed, parks and playgrounds have been bulldozed and people have been massacred on a daily basis.

However, the resilient people of Gaza, despite all heavy odds, have refused to retreat or surrender. They have refused to leave their ancestral land despite US-made Israeli bombs raining down on them.

They insist on living and dying in Gaza, the land they belong to. More than fourteen months into the genocidal war the people of Gaza are still planning what the day after the aggression looks like. 

One such story is that of Mohammed Ziyad Mohamed Albess, a gym owner and professional bodybuilder. Owner of the Champion’s Factory gym in Gaza City, Albess was shot in the arm by an Israeli sniper in January of 2024, three months after the genocidal war on Gaza was launched.

Three months later, occupation airplanes bombed his gym, reducing most of it to rubble.

Like many in the besieged Palestinian territory, occupation forces crushed Albess’ dreams - in a matter of seconds. But just like others, Albess resolved to rebuild his gym and continue chasing his dreams. 

On his Instagram profile, Albess documents his life and weight lifts, as well as the reality of the Champion’s Factory – his small heaven. He exercises with a stacked barbell within a decimated building, surrounded by piles of rubble resulting from the Israeli bombing.

One of his videos, which has gone viral, is captioned: “We 125k(g) from Gaza, steadfastness. We will not surrender.” He bench presses the barbell with a full range of motion, accomplishing the lift with seemingly relative ease. 

Despite most of the gym being in rubble, some weightlifting equipment was able to be salvaged. Now, Albess and a few dozen Palestinians frequent the gym almost daily to exercise and vent out. 

Even with his severe arm injury, Albess has vowed to return to his usual weightlifting numbers. Prior to his injury, Albess was able to bench press a remarkable 190kg. With his arm injury, paired with the stress of living under a brutal genocide and surviving famine with small amounts of food, Albess is still able to put up an impressive 170kg bench press.

Anyone familiar with the strength training needed to reach these numbers can testify to how much discipline and consistency this takes. And more importantly, peace of mind.

His Instagram profile also shows other gym goers attending the destroyed gym. There are still exercise bikes, some dumbbells, and strength machines for attendees to use. A ladder is used to access the main gym floor from the outside. It is an unrecognizable shadow of what it once was.

However, each video shows Albess pushing incredible amounts of weight, with cheers of support from his small but resilient community. One video even shows him belting out bench press repetitions while wearing a cast.

His Instagram page also contains a link to his GoFundMe, where he is raising money to rebuild the Champion’s Factory.

“I was previously a Palestine National Team Player for Physical Strength. I was in the 1993 graduate class of the Bachelor of Physical Education, bodybuilding coach and sports nutrition specialist. Before the war on Gaza, I used to practice physical strength with love,” Albess states on his fundraiser.

“I had every dream of reaching a world record in the bench press. I was shot by a sniper in my arm and shortly after the gym was bombed. I am now starting again from point zero.” 

Albess shared some photos and videos of the Champion’s Factory with the Press TV website, which shows gym goers still showing up to pass the time, socialize, or continue to maintain their strength.

Before the Zionist aggression, the Champion’s Factory would be frequented by about 100 gym-goers daily. Now, the number has come down to 50. 

Albess has lost many loved ones - an uncle he was very close to, as well as other relatives and friends. His injured arm still needs advanced treatment, and he struggles to purchase food, which has become extremely expensive.

Albess, his wife, and other Palestinians survive mostly off carbohydrates - mainly bread, pasta, and rice.

In a message to me on Instagram, Albess said he loves the gym because it helps him to empty his energy. “My family and friends are here. In the gym, I will achieve all of my dreams,” he stated.

From his words, it’s clear the horrors of genocide and Zionist aggression have not broken his spirit. 

Though Albess has the sure markings of a determined spirit, the journey ahead is long. He needs to raise thousands of dollars - about $50,000 - to rebuild his gym.

In the meantime, he is experiencing difficulty affording food due to inflation, and the wound he nurses from the Israeli sniper has not been properly examined and treated.

He needs proper medical attention, which he expects will likely come from outside of Gaza as travel to hospitals is dangerous and hospitals themselves have become primary targets of Israeli aggression. 

Mohammed Ziyad Mohamed Albess, the “Iron Man of Gaza” - is showing the world that even in the darkest of nights, you can still expect the sun to rise.

Albess continues to post his weightlifting videos, pushing stunning numbers, while working towards rebuilding his gym. His love for fitness and bodybuilding is something he wants to share with the world - and the return of the Champion’s Factory will ensure the success of his dream. 

“I hope to continue my journey to the next championship and rebuild this gym. I want to tell the world that there are people here in Gaza who love life and have goals,” he said.

Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.co.uk