Art offers young Gaza survivors solace and escape from war’s devastation

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Histórico de campanhas de flotilhascaret-direitaRecursos|Conflito Israel-PalestinaA arte oferece aos jovens sobreviventes de Gaza consolo e escape da devastação da guerraJovens sobreviventes da guerra genocida de Israel em Gaza encontram espaços seguros para processar o trauma e redescobrir a alegria.

Amid a reality in which Israel’s genocidal war has imposed itself on the details of everyday life in Gaza, 16-year-old Maryam tries to create a different environment for herself, even if only for a few hours.

The paper and pencil give her a chance to step away from the scene around her and return to something she loves and knows well.

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Maryam’s family’s home was bombed in January 2024, and she now lives in her grandmother’s house in Deir el-Balah. She has lost friends and people close to her, including her uncle, as a result of Israel’s attacks during the war – strikes that have killed more than 73,000 Palestinians since October 2023.

For Maryam, drawing means more than a hobby. It is a way of putting her feelings onto paper, especially those that are difficult to express in words.

Maryam has been drawing since she was a child, but began attending the art space in April, when it was set up.

Ela afirma que cada desenho concluído lhe dá um senso de realização e abre um pequeno espaço para a esperança em meio a dias difíceis.

Helping children like Maryam is the reason 35-year-old Abdullah al-Ghafri set up the art space – and why he is working hard to keep it open, despite the expensive rental costs that have him continuously searching for investors.

Psychologist Asil Abu Shawish says art can give children and adolescents a way to express their feelings at times of great trauma.

Abu Shawish explains that having a safe space where children can engage in artistic activities can give them a sense of stability amid constantly changing circumstances.

As the war continues – despite an official October “ceasefire” – children are exposed to high levels of fear, stress and loss. Abu Shawish, therefore, believes that artistic activities can give them an opportunity to deal with these emotions in a safer way.

Ela afirma que o impacto dessas atividades pode ser observado durante as sessões em si, por meio da interação das crianças umas com as outras e sua capacidade de se concentrar e se engajar na atividade.

She believes some children find art to be an easier language than words.

Art can therefore become a means of coping with difficult circumstances, particularly when the activity continues over time and becomes part of a child’s life.

In Nuseirat, at the Palestinian Student Care Association, Jabr Thabet coordinates activities with the Edward Said National Conservatory of Music, where children gather around their instruments and learn singing and music.

The conservatory’s Gaza City location was damaged during the war, and so its teachers have continued their activities in displacement areas, including Nuseirat, Deir el-Balah and Gaza City itself.

Durante as sessões, Thabet observa a interação das crianças com a música, desde o momento em que elas chegam até o fim do treinamento. O que mais me chama a atenção é o seu entusiasmo.

Uma criança vem para a sessão esperando aprender algo novo e sai querendo voltar novamente.

Thabet adds, “For us, art is a form of resilience. When a child can sing, play and create something beautiful amid all this destruction, in a way, they are preserving a part of themselves and their life.”.