Portraits of childhood in Gaza

Front Burner (CBC)
Episode: "Portraits of childhood in Gaza"
Date: October 10, 2025
Host: Jayme Poisson

Overview

This powerful documentary episode of Front Burner, produced by Allie Jaynes and hosted by Jayme Poisson, offers an intimate look at the lives of children and an adult music teacher living through the Gaza conflict. The episode foregrounds their resilience, creativity, and longing for normalcy amid war, displacement, bombardment, and catastrophic famine. Through the stories of 12-year-old Renaud Atala, 12-year-old Inaya Fari Walid Abuakar, and music teacher Ahmed Abu Amsha, listeners experience how ordinary joys—cooking, family, music—become acts of survival and hope.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Introduction: A Ceasefire and Fragile Hope

[00:35–02:43]

Jayme Poisson introduces the episode against the backdrop of a newly announced ceasefire, hostage negotiations, and ongoing humanitarian devastation in Gaza.
The purpose: highlight how children and families attempt to preserve normalcy and mental survival through joy—even as daily life is upended.

Part 1: Renaud Atala – Cooking Through War

[03:10–11:39]

Renaud Atala, 12, from Deir El Bala, becomes locally famous for her Instagram cooking show started in 2024, showcasing traditional Gazan dishes made with what little is available.
Cooking is both distraction and therapy:

“I started cooking as a way to distract myself and reduce the sadness and stress I felt.”
— Renaud Atala [04:46]
Family life under siege: 23 people crowd into her three-bedroom house; many relatives are displaced.
Renaud’s joyful cooking videos occasionally show the grim reality: cooking with makeshift stoves, an "orphan Maqluba" (no meat), and coping with food scarcity and blockades.

“Today it's the famine type of labneh.”
— Renaud Atala [07:48]
Hunger and precariousness impact her ability to make content:

"At any second, a displacement could happen, or shelling. So that stops me from making videos."
— Renaud Atala [08:23]
Renaud discusses a rash from lack of hygiene, and posts about devastated relatives:

“Some people die from starvation, others from the massacres. Either way, you end up dead in this genocide.”
— Renaud Atala [08:56]
Despite everything, hope persists:

“Of course, hope never leaves Gaza. But of course, there’s sadness and despair. … But thank God we have hope.”
— Renaud Atala [09:47]
Dreams endure:

"It is impossible to kill this dream. I am waiting until I'm old enough to open a big restaurant and serve everyone so they can try Palestinian food."
— Renaud Atala [10:17]
Note: Shortly after this interview, Renaud, her sister, and twin brother manage to evacuate to the Netherlands, but must leave much of their family behind.

Part 2: Inaya Fari Walid Abuakar – Life in Displacement

[11:39–15:47]

Inaya, nearly 13, now lives in the overcrowded Al Mawazi displacement camp. Originally from Khan Younis, she’s repeatedly fled military attacks.
Describes the harsh conditions:

“Life here is hard. … It’s burning hot. It’s very different from our lives back home.”
— Inaya Fari Walid Abuakar [12:57]
Memories of her old life:

“It was such a beautiful neighborhood. … My dream was to become a doctor.”
— Inaya Fari Walid Abuakar [13:12]
Trauma of displacement: fleeing at night, under fire, losing her father to bombardment:

“He was near a tent that was bombed and the shrapnel killed him... He was a very kind and loving father.”
— Inaya Fari Walid Abuakar [14:26]
Uncertainty about the future, loss of schooling, but resilience grounded in family:

“It’s not that we forget the things that happened, because this is unforgettable but being with friends and family helps us to get through this time.”
— Inaya Fari Walid Abuakar [15:26]

Part 3: Ahmed Abu Amsha – Escaping with Music

[16:41–30:48]

Ahmed, music teacher and composer, recounts his family's repeated displacement from Beit Hanun, to Jabalia, to Gaza City, Khan Younis, Rafah, and Al Mawazi.
Early in the war, “not thinking about music,” only about protecting his family.

“We leave without shoes, running through the dark, darkness. … After five minutes, they blow all the block.”
— Ahmed Abu Amsha [19:54]
Eventually, he plays guitar again for children at the camps; music draws children together:

“Suddenly all the kids gathering around me and they are singing with me. … I forget that I'm…”
— Ahmed Abu Amsha [21:03]
Ahmed founds the ‘Gaza Bird Singing’ band/project, teaching music to some 200 displaced girls and boys:

“Their families come to my tent, they told me our kids is better. They forget the war, they are singing now.”
— Ahmed Abu Amsha [22:20]
Uses music therapy techniques to help traumatized children—including those physically and psychologically scarred by conflict:

“A lot of kids come … and they are not communicating a lot. They have psychological problems like trauma. … Some kids are flying in the air from the explosions.”
— Ahmed Abu Amsha [22:20] “When I see the smile upon the faces of the kids, like I have the world, that's make me strong, that's make me continuing my work.”
— Ahmed Abu Amsha [23:47]
Even if hungry, playing music is temporarily sustaining:

“They teach us that the music is … the food of the soul. I'm trying my best to make it the food of the body. … After five minutes of singing, they forget this feeling”
— Ahmed Abu Amsha [28:37]
Amid famine and siege, the project continues wherever possible:

“We do our best to create a place of joy and hope for the children.”
— Ahmed Abu Amsha [30:23]
A particularly moving moment: Ahmed asks children to “sing with the drones” rather than be silenced by their noise:

“Someday … the drones … have annoying sound and the kids can't play. I told them, don't stop play. Let's change it to something beautiful. … So each time the drone coming, they are singing and smiling. So we change the bad sound, the war sound to something beautiful like music.”
— Ahmed Abu Amsha [26:30]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Renaud Atala:
“Of course, hope never leaves Gaza. … But thank God we have hope. God willing, this war will end and we will return to our everyday lives, eating whatever we want and going to school.” [09:47]
Inaya Fari Walid Abuakar:
“It’s not that we forget the things that happened, because this is unforgettable but being with friends and family helps us to get through this time.” [15:26]
Ahmed Abu Amsha:
“We leave without shoes, running through the dark, darkness… After five minutes, they blow all the block…” [19:54]
“When I see the smile upon the faces of the kids, like I have the world, that's make me strong, that's make me continuing my work.” [23:47]
“They teach us that the music is the food of the soul. I'm trying my best to make it the food of the body.” [28:37]
“We change the bad sound, the war sound to something beautiful like music.” [26:30]

Timestamps for Key Segments

[03:10] – Part 1: Renaud’s story and the genesis of her cooking show
[07:48] – Renaud improvises ‘famine’ recipes under blockade
[08:56] – Renaud on the dual threats of starvation and violence
[10:17] – Renaud on holding on to her dream
[11:39] – Part 2: Inaya’s introduction in Al Mawazi camp
[13:12] – Inaya reminisces about pre-war childhood and dreams
[14:26] – Inaya recounts her father's death
[15:26] – Inaya on coping through family solidarity
[16:41] – Part 3: Ahmed, the music teacher, begins his story
[19:54] – Ahmed on forced evacuation and terror
[21:03] – Ahmed rediscovers music amid displacement
[22:20] – Launch of “Gaza Bird Singing” for displaced children
[23:47] – Ahmed describes the emotional gift of teaching music
[26:30] – Transforming the sound of drones into a “background of music”
[28:37] – Ahmed uses music as “food of the body”
[30:23] – Creating joy and hope with parachute play by the sea

Tone & Style

The tone is empathetic and deeply human, combining reportage with the children's and Ahmed's own words and feelings.
The guests’ voices—sometimes translated—remain central, their optimism and pain standing in stark relief.

Conclusion

"Portraits of childhood in Gaza" brings the voices and everyday struggles of Gazan children and educators to a Canadian and international audience, revealing the enduring vitality, creativity, and hope that persist in conditions of unimaginable hardship. The episode encourages listeners to see beyond statistics, engaging with the lived experiences, dreams, and coping mechanisms of Gaza’s youngest residents.

For full impact, listen to the episode for the children’s own voices and Ahmed’s music.

Front Burner (CBC)
Episode: "Portraits of childhood in Gaza"
Date: October 10, 2025
Host: Jayme Poisson

Overview

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Introduction: A Ceasefire and Fragile Hope

[00:35–02:43]

Jayme Poisson introduces the episode against the backdrop of a newly announced ceasefire, hostage negotiations, and ongoing humanitarian devastation in Gaza.
The purpose: highlight how children and families attempt to preserve normalcy and mental survival through joy—even as daily life is upended.

Part 1: Renaud Atala – Cooking Through War

[03:10–11:39]

Renaud Atala, 12, from Deir El Bala, becomes locally famous for her Instagram cooking show started in 2024, showcasing traditional Gazan dishes made with what little is available.
Cooking is both distraction and therapy:

“I started cooking as a way to distract myself and reduce the sadness and stress I felt.”
— Renaud Atala [04:46]
Family life under siege: 23 people crowd into her three-bedroom house; many relatives are displaced.
Renaud’s joyful cooking videos occasionally show the grim reality: cooking with makeshift stoves, an "orphan Maqluba" (no meat), and coping with food scarcity and blockades.

“Today it's the famine type of labneh.”
— Renaud Atala [07:48]
Hunger and precariousness impact her ability to make content:

"At any second, a displacement could happen, or shelling. So that stops me from making videos."
— Renaud Atala [08:23]
Renaud discusses a rash from lack of hygiene, and posts about devastated relatives:

“Some people die from starvation, others from the massacres. Either way, you end up dead in this genocide.”
— Renaud Atala [08:56]
Despite everything, hope persists:

“Of course, hope never leaves Gaza. But of course, there’s sadness and despair. … But thank God we have hope.”
— Renaud Atala [09:47]
Dreams endure:

"It is impossible to kill this dream. I am waiting until I'm old enough to open a big restaurant and serve everyone so they can try Palestinian food."
— Renaud Atala [10:17]
Note: Shortly after this interview, Renaud, her sister, and twin brother manage to evacuate to the Netherlands, but must leave much of their family behind.

Part 2: Inaya Fari Walid Abuakar – Life in Displacement

[11:39–15:47]

Inaya, nearly 13, now lives in the overcrowded Al Mawazi displacement camp. Originally from Khan Younis, she’s repeatedly fled military attacks.
Describes the harsh conditions:

“Life here is hard. … It’s burning hot. It’s very different from our lives back home.”
— Inaya Fari Walid Abuakar [12:57]
Memories of her old life:

“It was such a beautiful neighborhood. … My dream was to become a doctor.”
— Inaya Fari Walid Abuakar [13:12]
Trauma of displacement: fleeing at night, under fire, losing her father to bombardment:

“He was near a tent that was bombed and the shrapnel killed him... He was a very kind and loving father.”
— Inaya Fari Walid Abuakar [14:26]
Uncertainty about the future, loss of schooling, but resilience grounded in family:

“It’s not that we forget the things that happened, because this is unforgettable but being with friends and family helps us to get through this time.”
— Inaya Fari Walid Abuakar [15:26]

Part 3: Ahmed Abu Amsha – Escaping with Music

[16:41–30:48]

Ahmed, music teacher and composer, recounts his family's repeated displacement from Beit Hanun, to Jabalia, to Gaza City, Khan Younis, Rafah, and Al Mawazi.
Early in the war, “not thinking about music,” only about protecting his family.

“We leave without shoes, running through the dark, darkness. … After five minutes, they blow all the block.”
— Ahmed Abu Amsha [19:54]
Eventually, he plays guitar again for children at the camps; music draws children together:

“Suddenly all the kids gathering around me and they are singing with me. … I forget that I'm…”
— Ahmed Abu Amsha [21:03]
Ahmed founds the ‘Gaza Bird Singing’ band/project, teaching music to some 200 displaced girls and boys:

“Their families come to my tent, they told me our kids is better. They forget the war, they are singing now.”
— Ahmed Abu Amsha [22:20]
Uses music therapy techniques to help traumatized children—including those physically and psychologically scarred by conflict:

“A lot of kids come … and they are not communicating a lot. They have psychological problems like trauma. … Some kids are flying in the air from the explosions.”
— Ahmed Abu Amsha [22:20] “When I see the smile upon the faces of the kids, like I have the world, that's make me strong, that's make me continuing my work.”
— Ahmed Abu Amsha [23:47]
Even if hungry, playing music is temporarily sustaining:

“They teach us that the music is … the food of the soul. I'm trying my best to make it the food of the body. … After five minutes of singing, they forget this feeling”
— Ahmed Abu Amsha [28:37]
Amid famine and siege, the project continues wherever possible:

“We do our best to create a place of joy and hope for the children.”
— Ahmed Abu Amsha [30:23]
A particularly moving moment: Ahmed asks children to “sing with the drones” rather than be silenced by their noise:

“Someday … the drones … have annoying sound and the kids can't play. I told them, don't stop play. Let's change it to something beautiful. … So each time the drone coming, they are singing and smiling. So we change the bad sound, the war sound to something beautiful like music.”
— Ahmed Abu Amsha [26:30]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Renaud Atala:
“Of course, hope never leaves Gaza. … But thank God we have hope. God willing, this war will end and we will return to our everyday lives, eating whatever we want and going to school.” [09:47]
Inaya Fari Walid Abuakar:
“It’s not that we forget the things that happened, because this is unforgettable but being with friends and family helps us to get through this time.” [15:26]
Ahmed Abu Amsha:
“We leave without shoes, running through the dark, darkness… After five minutes, they blow all the block…” [19:54]
“When I see the smile upon the faces of the kids, like I have the world, that's make me strong, that's make me continuing my work.” [23:47]
“They teach us that the music is the food of the soul. I'm trying my best to make it the food of the body.” [28:37]
“We change the bad sound, the war sound to something beautiful like music.” [26:30]

Timestamps for Key Segments

[03:10] – Part 1: Renaud’s story and the genesis of her cooking show
[07:48] – Renaud improvises ‘famine’ recipes under blockade
[08:56] – Renaud on the dual threats of starvation and violence
[10:17] – Renaud on holding on to her dream
[11:39] – Part 2: Inaya’s introduction in Al Mawazi camp
[13:12] – Inaya reminisces about pre-war childhood and dreams
[14:26] – Inaya recounts her father's death
[15:26] – Inaya on coping through family solidarity
[16:41] – Part 3: Ahmed, the music teacher, begins his story
[19:54] – Ahmed on forced evacuation and terror
[21:03] – Ahmed rediscovers music amid displacement
[22:20] – Launch of “Gaza Bird Singing” for displaced children
[23:47] – Ahmed describes the emotional gift of teaching music
[26:30] – Transforming the sound of drones into a “background of music”
[28:37] – Ahmed uses music as “food of the body”
[30:23] – Creating joy and hope with parachute play by the sea

Tone & Style

The tone is empathetic and deeply human, combining reportage with the children's and Ahmed's own words and feelings.
The guests’ voices—sometimes translated—remain central, their optimism and pain standing in stark relief.

Conclusion

For full impact, listen to the episode for the children’s own voices and Ahmed’s music.

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Summary

Overview

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Introduction: A Ceasefire and Fragile Hope

Part 1: Renaud Atala – Cooking Through War

Part 2: Inaya Fari Walid Abuakar – Life in Displacement

Part 3: Ahmed Abu Amsha – Escaping with Music

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Timestamps for Key Segments

Tone & Style

Conclusion

Summary

Overview

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Introduction: A Ceasefire and Fragile Hope

Part 1: Renaud Atala – Cooking Through War

Part 2: Inaya Fari Walid Abuakar – Life in Displacement

Part 3: Ahmed Abu Amsha – Escaping with Music

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Timestamps for Key Segments

Tone & Style

Conclusion