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The Israeli Walla! website: We are running out of stockpiles, our forces are exhausted, and the lives of the captives are in danger. It is time for a ceasefire deal in Gaza.
Several wounded in an Israeli bombardment of a tent in al-Mawasi, south of Khan Younis in the Gaza Strip.
Israeli media: Three wounded, three killed in an ongoing operation in the Gaza Strip.
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in southern Lebanon: Israeli artillery shelling targets the outskirts of the town of Shebaa
Al-Qassam Brigades: The targeting took place at the intersection of 'Street 5' with the western line north of Khan Younis
Al-Qassam Brigades: A NIMR armored personnel carrier carrying an Israeli soldier was targeted with an Al-Yassin missile north of Khan Younis
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Local Syrian sources: Dozens of dead and wounded have arrived at Sweida hospitals as a result of ongoing clashes at several locations in the western Sweida countryside
Local sources: Civilians, including children and women, were injured in the al-Maqous neighborhood of Sweida, in Syria, as a result of ongoing clashes

Meet Gaza's first female band

  • By Al Mayadeen net
  • Source: Agencies + Al Mayadeen Net
  • 12 Apr 2022 15:56
  • 1 Shares
3 Min Read

The "Mashael Alfan band" is seeking to revive Palestinian heritage and folklore with unprecedented support.

  • x
  • Meet Gaza's first female band
    Members of Mashael Alfan band (Themedialine)

A Palestinian band made up of 15 women is seeking to "revive Palestinian heritage."

"Mashael Alfan", or "Torches of Art", is part of a broader Mashael Alfan cultural organization, which includes almost 60 talented girls aged four to 25 who sing, draw, read poetry, and perform the traditional Palestinian dabke circle and line dance.

To honor Land Day, they wear traditional Palestinian embroidered thobe tunics and perform national and folk songs to warm applause from the audience and smiles of joy and support from their families.

The idea for the arts organization, according to Haidar Alaf, who founded the team in 2016, is "based on the girls' need to have a group in which they can highlight their many talents and utilize them to protect the Palestinian culture in light of the Israeli attempts to cancel the Palestinian identity and steal the traditional heritage.

"We try, in all our performances, to focus on features of our Palestinian culture by exclusively wearing traditional Palestinian clothes, singing folk and patriotic songs, drawing meaningful freedom symbols, and performing the Palestinian dabke dance," Alaf said.

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One of the female singers, Sabreen Abu Samra, told The Media Line that she joined the band mainly to preserve and revive the Palestinian legacy. 

“Our heritage is the evidence of our existence and the basis of our history as Palestinians in general, and as women in particular. I advise girls who have talents to face their fears, work hard to develop themselves, and adhere to their Palestinian identity, because our land depends only on us,” she said.

Abu Samra adds that the band's success was largely due to full family support and the musical coach's guidance.

The youngest singer in the band is Shahed Alali, a 14-year-old. 

She expressed to Media Line that since joining the band, her "whole personality has changed for the good. Now I’m stronger, more confident on stage, and with better communication skills. I sing with all my heart for my land, my heritage, and my identity."

The band's members have participated in numerous events in Gaza and hope to overcome Israeli movement restrictions to reach international forums and share Palestinian traditional production with the rest of the world, according to Alaf, emphasizing the importance of music in supporting the Palestinian cause.

“Art and music are universal, understandable languages that don’t need translation. Thus, when Palestinian arts travel abroad, they carry our history, our struggle, and resilience, and reflect a beautiful image of the Palestinian who loves life and appreciates art and music,” Abu Hmaid stated.

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