Sama, a 16-year-old girl currently residing in a refugee camp in northern Gaza, is determined to make a positive difference in the lives of other displaced children. On her birthday last December, she decided to transform tents into makeshift classrooms for music therapy.
One of her students, Mohammed Abu Eida, lost his hand during the conflict, which ultimately led to amputation and forced him to stop playing the oud, a traditional Middle Eastern stringed instrument. “I felt overwhelmed because Mohammed would not be able to participate like other children. I encouraged him to replace the oud with the violin, but he was afraid,” Sama told SBS Arabic. “I created a way to tie a bow around Mohammed’s arm so that he could play.”
The situation in Gaza has been dire, with at least 41,615 people reported killed in the past year due to ongoing hostilities, according to the Gaza health ministry. The Hamas attack on Israel last year resulted in nearly 1,200 deaths and 250 kidnappings, as reported by Israeli authorities.
Sama was a violin and singing student at the Edward Said National Conservatory of Music in Gaza City until October 7, 2023. “On that day a year ago, I was preparing for my exams and the Institute’s concert, but the war destroyed our dreams. What I thought was thunder became clear after an hour as the beginning of the war,” she reflected. Forced to leave her home, she grabbed her violin, which she describes as her “wooden companion,” thinking the evacuation would be temporary.
“I experienced difficult moments that I will not forget. I was hurt when I saw the world living a normal life through social media,” she said, recounting how one of her greatest challenges was waiting in line with 70 others for a single bathroom and waking up at 4 a.m. each day to try to get in first.
Sama witnessed the deaths of her uncle and cousins during the war but remained resolute in seeking light amid the darkness. “My birthday was a turning point. My friend Saleh Jabr and I chose to volunteer to teach children singing and how to play the violin,” she stated.
She expressed deep longing for her old life, saying, “Oh, how much I miss home, the stairs that witnessed my play and heard my voice! I miss the hot food, the people, and my mother’s homemade meals in the kitchen. I want to breathe Gaza air without the smell of gunpowder.”
The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas has also had repercussions in Australia. According to a spokesperson from the Australian Department of Home Affairs, from October 7, 2023, to September 30, 2024, a total of 2,999 migration and temporary visas were granted to Palestinians wishing to travel to Australia. This included various visa types such as visitor and family visas.
Sarah Dale, Centre Director and Principal Solicitor at the Refugee Advice & Casework Service (RACS) in Sydney, emphasized the varying conditions attached to different visa classes. “A visitor visa only provides very limited circumstances for applying for another visa while in Australia and does not grant access to Medicare, work or study rights, or other financial or housing support,” she explained.
Many refugees from Gaza have faced significant challenges, including loss of loved ones and uncertainty about the future. “This creates substantial barriers to a person’s ability to heal and find safety in their new surroundings,” Dale said. She advocated for fair and swift assessments of protection obligations for all refugees to ensure long-term safety and access to necessary supports.
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