- Title: Palestinian rapper in Egypt releases new track to mark October 7 anniversary
- Date: 8th October 2024
- Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) PALESTINIAN RAPPER FROM GAZA, IBRAHIM GHONEIM, SAYING: “This war changed us a lot. It made us believe that nothing in the world changes except through the language of power. Okay, I make music. I believe in music and in the language of peace, that we can resolve everything with politics, that we can be diplomatic with each other. But this war taught us
- Embargoed: 22nd October 2024 11:17
- Keywords: ANNIVERSARY ANNIVERSARY SONG CONFLICT GAZA MUSIC RAP MUSIC RAPPER SINGER WAR
- Location: CAIRO, EGYPT / UNKNOWN LOCATION, GAZA / INTERNET
- City: CAIRO, EGYPT / UNKNOWN LOCATION, GAZA / INTERNET
- Country: Egypt
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace,Middle East
- Reuters ID: LVA002809830092024RP1
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: From a studio in the Egyptian capital, Cairo, Gazan rapper, Ibrahim Ghoneim, has released a new track entitled "Tell Him" marking the one-year anniversary of the start of the war in Gaza on October 7, 2023.
Ghoneim, who moved to Egypt following the "Great March of Return" protests in 2018, said he wrote the song because he could not understand why the world was doing nothing to stop Israel pounding Gaza and its people.
"When I wrote it (the track), it carried a year of pain with it. It didn’t make sense because we have been slaughtered in front of the whole world for a year, and no one is doing anything," Ghoneim said.
The music video was created using AI (Artificial Intelligence), because it was faster to release and publish the track in time for October 7.
Ghoneim said the song is also an expression of injustice and how he has lost faith in other nations and governments coming to help the people of Gaza.
"The world saw us being slaughtered, burned, and raped, live. I don’t believe a song can be more impactful than the real life scenes, no," he said.
In an interview to Arab News in 2018 Ghoneim said the ruling Hamas party had banned his concerts because they said his music was incompatible with traditional Arab culture. But he continued writing from his home, telling the publication that "Rap is a way of life through which I express my opinions and dreams".
Today Ghoneim may have lost some of those dreams but said he is determined to play his role.
"I don’t want to be sleeping while my people are being burned," he said.
Ibrahim left Gaza during what is known as the 'March of Return' protests of 2018 about which he wrote another song. He said he went to Egypt to pursue and develop his artistic journey and in order to “convey the spirit of Gaza to the world”.
The 2018-2019 protests often turned violent, with people throwing stones and Molotov cocktails at Israeli forces, who responded with live ammunition.
Gaza health authorities say more than 41,000 Palestinians are confirmed to have been killed during the one year of the assault, which Israel launched after Hamas fighters attacked Israeli towns on October 7.
(Production: Yazan Kalach) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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