Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip - Recent

Storyline:
As negotiations continue between Israel and Hamas for a ceasefire to end the ongoing conflict between the two sides, a girl from Gaza is playing a borrowed guitar in the rubble of the southern city of Rafah to tell her sufferings and express her hope for an immediate end to the war.

Rahaf Fahd Nasser, who was pursuing her studies at Al-Azhar University, has been displaced to Rafah since the first week of the latest round of the conflict between Israel and Hamas which broke out in October last year.

The war in Gaza has cost Rahaf not just her home, but also her musical instruments. However, she remains undeterred. She borrowed a guitar and continued to use her music to tell the world about the suffering in Gaza.

Through music, she conveys her feelings and the suffering of her fellow people to the world, hoping for help.

Rafah believes that music represents peace and can amplify her voice globally.

"I'm in medical school, and I dream of becoming a doctor to help my people despite these circumstances that we are in. I chose to use music to convey my voice to the rest of the world. Music represents peace on a global scale, so I chose music to send my voice to the rest of the world and hope to put an end to this war that we are in," said Rahaf.

Israel has launched a large-scale offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip to retaliate against a Hamas rampage through the southern Israeli border on Oct. 7, 2023, during which about 1,200 people were killed and around 250 were taken hostage.

According to Gaza health authorities, the Palestinian death toll from the ongoing conflict has risen to 37,202.

Shotlist:
Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip - Recent
1. Various of Rahaf Fahd Nasser, medical student in Gaza, singing;
2. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Rahaf Fahd Nasser, Gaza resident:
"I am from Gaza, from the northern sector. We were displaced here from the first week of the conflict, because we were in a war zone and under constant enemy bombing. It was really bad.";
3. Rahaf playing guitar;
4. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Rahaf Fahd Nasser, Gaza resident:
"To continue my passion and convey my message to the world, I recently borrowed a guitar from my father's friend. I played these songs to help make my voice heard around the world.";
5. Rahaf playing guitar;
6. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Rahaf Fahd Nasser, Gaza resident (partially overlaid with shots 7-8):
"I release all my feelings while playing music, everything I cannot express in words, I express through music and instruments. The message I want to convey first of all is to tell the world about the suffering and pain we are experiencing here, so people can take actions. In my lyrics, I said, 'The cries of children are calling, and the flowers are saying, please save me from this injustice, my dreams are inhabited by a monster.' All the children here are suffering from killings and much more."
[SHOTS OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE];
7. Various of Rahaf playing guitar, singing;
8. Various of cityscape
[SHOTS OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE];
9. Various of Rahaf playing guitar, singing.

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