GAZA, June 5 (Xinhua) -- Ahmed Abu Amsha, a 43-year-old music teacher from Gaza City, continues his work from a temporary shelter despite being displaced 12 times in 19 months of conflict. When forced to relocate, his instruments and music notebooks are always the first items he packs.
"Music is the only thing the war hasn't taken from me," Abu Amsha said from his shelter in central Gaza. "It's the only voice we have left."
Abu Amsha teaches at the Edward Said National Conservatory of Music and has created an informal program called Gaza Birds Singing for displaced children. Many of these children have lost homes, friends, or family members during the ongoing military operations.
The program began in Khan Younis when Abu Amsha noticed local children showing both musical talent and signs of trauma. "We started in the Mawasi area of Khan Younis," he said, holding his oud. "The children had so much talent, and so much pain. We gave them instruments, and they gave us hope."
Children gather in his tent every few days when the security situation allows, practicing and sharing compositions they record on phones. The war has particularly affected children's mental health, with human rights organizations reporting widespread anxiety disorders and emotional distress among minors.
Abu Amsha has observed children arriving unable to speak, experiencing sleeplessness, nightmares, and sudden fear. "Some kids couldn't even speak when they arrived," he said. "But when we gave them a flute or a drum, they slowly began to open up. Music helped them speak without words."
His own family participates in the program. His 19-year-old son Moein, also displaced multiple times, carries his flute everywhere and uses it to cope during difficult nights. Abu Amsha's 14-year-old niece Yara plays violin despite losing her home. She says playing helps her forget the fear and feel normal again.
Many children have found the program meaningful. Twelve-year-old Saleem al-Attar, who fled Beit Lahia with his family and now lives in a tent, learned flute from Abu Amsha. "Ahmed taught me the flute. It helps me depict things I can't say. When I play, I go somewhere else," he said.
Thirteen-year-old Rima Omer, who escaped from Shuja'iyya neighborhood, learned to play the oud and says the sound of strings now feels stronger to her than the sound of explosions.
For Abu Amsha, the work has become more than music instruction. "This is not a music class," he said. "It's a sanctuary. It's a space of healing. For children who have lost everything, it's a chance to reclaim a part of themselves."
Gaza-based psychologist Amina Abu Eisha notes that the destruction of familiar spaces has severely impacted children's sense of stability. "The destruction of homes, schools, and safe spaces has undermined their sense of stability. Although small in scale, programs like GBS provide rare moments of relief," she said.
Abu Amsha hopes to develop a mobile music school that could travel between refugee camps. "We want to create a mobile music school," he said. "A small unit that travels between refugee camps, offering music lessons for displaced children. We have the will, and some volunteer musicians."
Looking ahead, Abu Amsha plans to organize a concert featuring all his students once the conflict ends. "It would be a declaration that Gaza is still alive," he said. When asked about his broader hopes, he responded: "The roars of war may be loud today, but music is louder in the long run. We don't want war. We want to sing, to play, to live in peace. Please, don't silence our songs." Enditem
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