සංගීතයෙන් දරුවන්ගේ යුද බිය නැති කරන්න හදන ෆෙහ්මි

Gaza musician teaches displaced children music to dispel fear of war

Fehmi Al Saqqa, a musician from Al-Rimal in Gaza City, has been devoted himself to helping displaced children in war-torn Gaza overcome their fears and find an escape from the horrors of war through the healing power of music.

Following the outbreak of the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict on Oct 7, 2023, Fehmi, along with other refugees, fled to Khan Younis in southern Gaza, where he currently resides.

At a refugee camp there, Fehmi teaches children music despite the ongoing bombardments.

He believes that music can provide the children and also himself with solace in such difficult times.

"Music is the biggest part of my life. I have been devoted to it. When I was younger, I worked in a recording studio. Composing music and teaching the children here take up most of my time," he said.

Many schools in Gaza have been converted into shelters. A year after the outbreak of the conflict, about 630,000 children in Gaza are unable to return to school and these schools have also been targeted in Israeli attacks.

Fehmi hopes that music can offer these children a way to confront their fears.

"At any moment of the day or night, the children may hear the sounds of rockets and airplanes. This is what life's like in a refugee camp. From the moment we wake up until we go to sleep, every day the same routine is repeated. For the children, it’s a tragedy mixed with fear. They’re deprived of their basic needs. They’ve lost their homes, their schools…everything they were used to. Through music, we teach them that there's still hope, and that life goes on. They can try to express themselves through music," Fehmi said.

"Being with the children and music allows me to feel the essence of life. For both us and the children, music serves a balm for the soul, dispelling the shadows of war," he added.

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