Melody Amid Gaza’s Ruins of Survival

Amid the rubble-strewn streets of Gaza, twelve-year-old Abdur Rahman Al-Nashash clings to life through the haunting strains of his oud. This traditional Middle Eastern lute has become his constant companion and a source of resilience in a world shattered by conflict. In a brutal Israeli airstrike, Abdur Rahman’s father, Al-Razi, was killed at school, while Abdur Rahman himself suffered severe injuries, resulting in the amputation of one leg. After months of intensive medical treatment, he returned to the densely populated Burj refugee camp, where daily life unfolds under the shadow of ongoing violence and uncertainty.

Abdur Rahman’s bond with the oud began in early childhood. His father gifted him the instrument and personally taught him to play, offering moments of normalcy amid a turbulent world. Music became a sanctuary, a refuge from daily pain and trauma. Even after the attack, amid deep sorrow and lingering physical discomfort, Abdur Rahman finds solace in his playing. The melancholic tones of his oud carry not only grief but also a fragile optimism for the future.

Today, his musical talent is blossoming once more within the camp. Photographs released by Turkey’s state-run Anadolu Agency depict Abdur Rahman performing with friends—a rare and moving glimpse of perseverance amid destruction. While receiving treatment in Jordan, he had been fitted with a prosthetic leg but was unable to keep his father’s cherished oud. Upon returning to Burj, a local teacher, recognising his talent, gifted him a new oud, reigniting the spark of his artistic spirit.

Life in Burj remains extraordinarily harsh. Thousands of Palestinian families live in extreme poverty, enduring prolonged displacement and the effects of blockades. Recurrent attacks intensify the humanitarian crisis, rendering day-to-day survival precarious.

The following table summarises the recent human toll in Gaza:

Since the Israeli offensive began on 7 October 2023, Gaza has been left in ruins, with daily life constrained, mentally taxing, and uncertain. For children like Abdur Rahman, music is a form of peaceful resistance, carrying patience, memory, and hope. His oud resonates not only with sorrow but also with an indomitable human spirit—a symbol of courage and resilience that endures even in the darkest hours.