Areej Shahen

“A new year of my life in a brutal war, full of loss, displacement, oppression, and pain. I pray that God grants us patience, strength, and the fulfillment of our wishes. Please keep us in your prayers.”
This was Areej’s wish on her last birthday, December 28, 2024.

“Areej Shahen, 30 years old, had a passion for photography. She studied media, worked as a photographer, and dreamed of achieving great success in her field. During the war, her dreams shifted to simply hoping for the war to end and that she could come to visit me in Egypt.”

“She used to capture moments of joy at graduation celebrations and other happy events with her camera, but the conditions of war changed her focus. She began using her camera to document the suffering of people, especially children in the Gaza Strip, hoping to share their voices with the world.”

“On January 3, 2025, Areej and her mother were killed when their home in the Al-Nuseirat area was targeted by an artillery shell fired by the Israeli occupation forces.”

The text comes from a message received from her close friend, Enas Sbeta, as well as from Areej’s page.