A boy's lilting song filled the tent in Gaza City, above an instrumental melody and backing singers' quiet harmonies, soft music that floated into streets these days more attuned to the deadly beat of bombs and bullets.

Jerusalem

Israel and Iran have agreed a ceasefire after a twelve day conflict. Meanwhile, Israel strikes in Gaza continue with the humanitarian crisis deepening.

Middle East Conflict

Music teachers in Gaza, led by Ahmed Abu Amsha and colleagues from the Edward Said National Conservatory of Music, have continued to provide lessons to children despite the ongoing conflict. Classes now take place in tents or damaged classrooms, with teachers often improvising due to a lack of instruments. 

The lessons offer children a break from the harsh realities of war, including airstrikes and food shortages. Teachers and students alike say that music represents hope and a temporary escape from their difficult circumstances. Despite the challenges, including hunger and limited resources, the teachers are committed to using music as a form of therapy and resilience.

Teaching music amid bombs and bullets in Gaza

From inside a tent in the ruins of Gaza City, a song. The idea of this project coming from some of my friends, bring a guitar and I take the guitar and play, and all the kids gathering around me. And in these moments we forget the war. So this is coming light in my head, why not we make some activity, music activity, despite this war. I call my colleagues in Edward Said Conservatory about these activities and they told me we are with you. Ahmed Abu Amsha is one of a handful of teachers from the Edward Said National Conservatory of Music who have continued to offer children music classes in the midst of a harrowing war. For the past six months he has been living and working in the city's central district, along with colleagues. They also go into kindergartens for sessions with small children. The Edward Said Conservatory was founded in the West Bank and opened a branch in Gaza 13 years ago. Before the current war, Israel sometimes granted the best students exit permits to travel outside Gaza to play in the Palestine Youth Orchestra, the conservatory's touring ensemble. A video released in January by a teacher shows the Gaza school in ruins. Now classes are in tents, or in a bullet-marked classroom of Gaza College. They are short on instruments and often improvise. Ismail Daoud is another of the teachers. Music in war represents, for me and for all the students whom we teach, it represents hope and an exit from the atmosphere of war. Sarah Al-Souarki is learning to play the guitar. I really am into music. I love discovering new genres, but more specifically rock. I'm very into rock. The music is a respite for the children, who are now accustomed to hearing other sounds. Airstrikes. Wails of grief at funerals. And cries of hunger. Palestinian health authorities say Israel's military campaign has killed more than 61,000 people, including more than 1,400 going to aid points to get food. Israel says Hamas is responsible for the suffering after it attacked Gaza. It started the war with the October 2023 attack from Gaza, when its gunmen killed 1,200 people and seized 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies. Israel controls the entry of food and medicine into the enclave. Britain, Canada, Australia and several of their European allies said on August 12 that, quote, famine was unfolding before our eyes in Gaza. Israel disputes the malnutrition figures. The students and teachers say they have to overcome their weakness from food shortages to attend the classes. There are days where I am absent from my lessons, even though I only have two a week, but sometimes I'm hungry and I do not have the energy to walk this very little distance from my home to over here, so I end up missing out. We tried our best to use music therapy in these kids to heal them from the madness of this war.

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Kyiv

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Teaching music amid bombs and bullets in Gaza

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