Sahar Majed Abu Eilba

“Um Al-Sous” is the dearest nickname to my heart, tied to a friendship that’s lasted over 13 years. We’ve never had a fight—how could I argue with my soulmate and lifelong friend?

Sahar Majed Abu Eilba, 27 years old, studied English literature at the Islamic University. She was a loving mother to her most precious child, Maryam. After waiting 8 years with so much hope, she finally gave birth to Maryam, held her close, and loved her deeply for just 8 short months.

“I still remember the day she told me she was pregnant—it felt like a miracle. She said, “I will be a mom,” and I cried tears of joy with my dear friend Sahar. There will never be another friend like her. She was the one I loved to hug, the one I loved talking to, spending long nights awake with, and taking long walks by her side.”

“I got her last message in the early hours of the truce. She prayed to God for the war to end so she could watch Maryam grow and so they wouldn’t lose each other. Then the connection dropped, and all we had left were our prayers.”

“She and her family were displaced from their home in Al-Safatawy—a place once full of love, life, and warmth—to Al-Faluja. On January 7, 2024, the Israeli occupation carried out the Abu Eilba family massacre. Sahar, along with 70 members of her family, was killed, left buried under the rubble for months.”

“The news of her death hit me like a lightning strike. I couldn’t believe it. “This can’t be Sahar’s family,” I told myself. The pain of losing her without a proper farewell or one last hug was unbearable. There was no grave to visit, no place to cry out our longing for her loss.”
A team member received a message from Sahar’s friend, Elham Jaser. In the photos, Sahar is shown with her husband, and in another photo, with her father.