I am sharing the story of my dear friend, Samah Haji, a courageous soul who was born in June 1999 in the northern Gaza Strip.

Samah was a lover of books, writing, and coffee. Her dream was to graduate from Gaza University and to professionally translate Arabic into English. Samah possessed a gentle and kind spirit, and she radiated love both for life and for everyone who crossed her path.

Tragically, on December 9, 2023, her home in the Zeitoun neighborhood of Gaza City, was targeted by the Israeli army. Samah and many of her family members were among the slain. Those left behind, including members of her extended family, and many dear friends, one of whom is this writer, all continue to pray for her.

My memories of Samah are filled with beauty and joy. We used to be fully present in every moment we spent together.

I was blissfully unaware that those moments would in a few seconds become only cherished memories, and that so many other beloved people would be taken from our world, leaving us with profound grief and a hard-to-describe sense of profound yearning.

Rather than depend only on words, I have gathered some photos that allow me to share with you, dear reader, scenes from our life together.

Juice drinks

Samah and I used to enjoy mango juice after a long day of shopping and strolling through the streets of Al-Rimal. This neighborhood is a vital artery for commercial life in the region; it is named after the sandy dunes the neighborhood was built upon.

I can’t drink mango juice anymore without thinking of the companion I miss so much.

Samah’s library

Samah’s beloved bookshelf was heavy on works of fiction and poetry, which she loved.

Some of the titles she read include The Happiest Girl in the World by Dr. Saad Riyadh and What My Father Didn’t Tell Me About Life by Kareem Al-Shadli.

Roses

One time Samah showed up at the university garden after a long absence. It was a sweet surprise to see her, especially when she gifted each of us with a red rose with a message in Arabic: لَئِنْ غِبتَ عَن عَينِي لَمَا غِبتَ عَن قَلبي

This phrase means “Though you are absent from my eyes, you are not absent from my heart.”

But the original surprise had been when Samah entered the university on December 5, 2022, bringing an energy that lit up the place with joy and delight.

Dessert

We often retreated to the university’s garden to engage in deep conversations and lively debates. Our topics ranged from mid-term exams to issues of personal growth. For example, I remember we talked about how we need to overcome our tendencies to be excessively kind at our own expense. In Arabic we have a proverb, أعمل خير وارمي في البحر, which means, ‘’Do good and throw it into the sea.’’ This emphasizes the importance of altruistic acts; but Samah and I agreed that everything is better in moderation and balance.

Samah liked to surprise us with milk in our favorite flavors — usually chocolate — and delectable desserts from our favorite café with its aroma of freshly brewed coffee.

The dessert in the photo is Samah’s favorite. A locally produced version of a confection by the major brand Lotus Biscoff, it’s a layered concoction with a buttery lotus biscuit base, a velvety cream cheese filling, and a generous topping of crushed lotus cookie. The combination creates a perfect balance of sweetness and flavor, reminiscent of caramel and cinnamon.

Samah also prepared delicious dishes with her own delicate hands. Her baking and cooking showed both her creativity and the beautiful touches that showed the love she put into these efforts. The lazy cake and stuffed grape leaves she made were not ordinary food. Rather, they symbolized her tenderness and love for us in every delicious bite.

Her texts

Rereading Samah’s texts gives me comfort today, because they remind me that she trusted and confided in me and I was a good friend to her. Here are some excerpts:

“I always had so much to express, so much to confide. But I was always hesitant to open up about myself, my fears, and the things that truly mattered to me. With you, everything felt different… I eagerly awaited our meetings, for they provided me with the opportunity to share the significant moments, the mundane details that might bore others, but never you. Even the stories I had repeated countless times, you listened to them with complete attentiveness.”

“You always lent me an ear, soothing my troubled heart and gathering the scattered pieces of my being whenever life’s challenges threatened to overwhelm me.”

“It was never easy for someone like me, someone who appeared strong on the outside, to reveal all those hidden fears, the accumulated pain, and the lingering wounds… It was never easy to make you the sanctuary I sought when seeking comfort and solace, as you had always been for me.”

Samah the student

The photo at the top of this story hints at Samah’ s wonderful work as a student who was just emerging into her career as translator.

The story of Samah is one of the thousands of stories of the martyrs who have departed, yet whose memories remain.

As her loyal friends, we will continue to cherish and love her always, and we will never forget her impact on our lives. We remember Samah by prayers, united in love and friendship forever.

May Samah and her family rest in peace, and may we find solace and patience.

May Allah have mercy on our martyrs and bring comfort to our hearts.