In central Gaza’s Deir Al-Balah, Ahmed Abu Amsha gathered children around him in the middle of a tent camp, teaching them to play instruments and to sing in a bid to tune out the harrowing sounds of the war.

“War is horrific with everything that it entails; its timing, its sound, its fear. But when we get together to sing, we forget about this sound,” said Abu Amsha, a music teacher at the American International School in Gaza.

Today, he teaches at least 60 children to play the guitar, violin, drums and to sing, all to help them forget the devastation of the war.

Abu Amsha, who has been displaced at least 15 times since October 2023, was adamant to mute the sound of war, and play his music instead.

Every time he moved, he taught dozens of children to play instruments and sing.

With guitars, violins, and darbuka drums, children would gather around him to learn to play instruments and sing along, forgetting about the war.

“We are musicians, we love life and we are worthy of life,” said Abu Amsha.