Music serves as a vital psychological relief tool for Palestinians in Gaza, helping children and young people cope with the trauma of the ongoing conflict.

"Music means a lot to me. Before the war, I didn’t think about it in this way but during the war I discovered that it has become a real refuge for us. Even if only for a short while, music gives us a chance to escape reality.” #Gaza #Music Gaza’s musicians reopen bomb-shattered conservatory – in tents | Gaza | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jul/05/gazas-musicians-reopen-bomb-shattered-conservatory-in-tents

“Music Has Become an Important Tool for Psychological Relief”: Gaza Refuses to Let Israel Silence Its Soul The Guardian reports that Gaza’s musicians have reopened Palestine’s national conservatory inside displacement tents after Israel destroyed its classrooms, auditorium, instruments, and archives during its genocide on the Strip. Despite the destruction, teachers have resumed music lessons to help children and young people cope with the trauma of Israel’s war, which killed tens of thousands of Palestinians, displaced nearly the entire population, and left much of Gaza in ruins. Conservatory teacher Ahmed Abu Amsha said music is no longer simply entertainment but “an important tool for psychological relief”, helping children survive the horrors of genocide. Many students and teachers were displaced multiple times, while others were killed, including talented young guitarist Yusuf Salman. With Israel’s restrictions continuing to block reconstruction, educators now teach in tents using salvaged instruments and even homemade flutes crafted from plastic tubing after their original instruments were destroyed. #Israel #Palestine #Gaza #Genocide #Palestinian