GAZA, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- In the heart of Al-Nakheel Camp in the town of Al-Zawaida, central Gaza, an ambulance-like vehicle from the Palestine Red Crescent Society arrived, carrying not doctors and stretchers, but chairs and a projection screen.
Team members spent about an hour unloading the equipment and setting up a temporary cinema under a canopy.
Chairs were arranged in rows facing the screen mounted on the vehicle's door. Children gathered, some watching the preparations curiously, others waiting quietly for the screening to begin.
Then the cartoon started. Tired, distressed faces gradually brightened into smiles. Nearby, in the activity area beside the bus, other children drew, colored, played games and joined in recreational activities.
The activity is part of an initiative called "Dream Bus," a mobile cinema and recreational space designed to provide children with psychosocial support.
The bus travels to displacement sites where safe, dedicated spaces for children's activities are often unavailable, bringing moments of entertainment, connection, and relief directly to them.
"We responded to an invitation from camps in the area, coming to help ease the psychological pain the children are enduring," said Niveen Abdel-Hadi, director of the mental health department at the Palestine Red Crescent Society.
The initiative aims to ease distress caused by bombardment, displacement, and the loss of family members, as well as children's deprivation of education, play and a normal life, Abdel-Hadi explained.
Ghaleb Abu Khater, who coordinates the "Dream Bus" team, said the vehicle had originally been a damaged ambulance taken out of service during the war before being refurbished.
His team also sought to change children's perception of ambulances, which had become associated with injuries, bombardment and fear.
"We wanted to transform the vehicle into a place associated with play and joy," Abu Khater said.
The initiative offers a range of activities, including cartoon screenings, drawing and coloring, storytelling, games, competitions and physical exercises.
According to Abu Khater, the films are carefully chosen to suit different age groups, combining entertainment with educational elements. Art activities such as drawing and coloring give children an alternative way to express feelings that may be difficult for them to put into words. Meanwhile, games and physical exercises help ease stress and release pent-up energy, while storytelling encourages children to interact, communicate, and share their experiences.
Mobility and security challenges, along with shortages of fuel and activity materials, limit operations. But after each event, the team packs up and moves on, touring the enclave from north to south.
The need is overwhelming. Data from the nongovernmental Gaza Community Mental Health Programme, cited in an October 2025 report, indicate that 67.8 percent of Gaza residents suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, while 96 percent of children feel that death is imminent.
Psychologist Samah Al-Qassas told Xinhua that group recreational activities can help children express emotions and reduce tension and fear, though they cannot replace specialized treatment.
At Al-Nakheel Camp, 12-year-old Saja Hammad, displaced from Jabalia, said she had lost more than 45 family members during the war.
"It was extremely difficult. We didn't draw; we were afraid and in hiding, and we never played," Hammad said, sitting in front of the screen. "But now, we play, go outside, the 'Dream Bus' visits us, we watch TV, and we draw and color. We really enjoy ourselves." ■
