From Activist to Exile: How One Woman’s Stand Against Hamas Cost Her Everything

Dalia Ziada, an Egyptian writer and civil rights activist, “took a stand after the Hamas attack on October 7 and condemned it.” According to The Jerusalem Post, “at the time, this appeared in line with Egypt’s official view as well, which has been against terrorism.” However, Ziada “faced harsh criticism and threats at home and became a target.” The situation escalated so quickly that “her only option was to flee to the US.”

The Jerusalem Post describes how “a week before October 7, Ziada was in Washington, speaking at the Atlantic Council about Eastern Mediterranean issues.” She had been focused on regional diplomacy and the growing ties between nations, with an eye on “Israel-Turkey reconciliation and the route linking Israel and the Abraham Accords countries.” But “she flew back to Cairo on October 6” and, the very next day, “woke up to the news of the attack on Israeli civilians.”

However, as The Jerusalem Post notes, “it was not reported in Arabic media like this, but rather as a Hamas attack on Israeli soldiers.” The article highlights how “a lot of Arabic media sought to whitewash Hamas’s image.” Later, Ziada joined an online viewing of the October 7 massacre footage, organized by Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which included “images from the kibbutzim and cars and the mobile phones of the terrorists.” The Jerusalem Post describes her reaction as “shocking and horrific.”

Following her outspoken stance, The Jerusalem Post reports that “Ziada has a following on social media, and she sought to highlight the truth about October 7 to her audience of Muslims, Egyptians, and Arabic speakers.” However, “she received a horrible backlash.” Initially, the article explains, “it began with radical Islamists speaking about the Muslim Brotherhood and Salafists,” but “it got worse because the Egyptian state began to get on board and attack her with the radical Islamists.”

According to The Jerusalem Post, “she discovered that there were legal claims against her.” The accusations were severe: “They are accusing me of threatening Egypt’s national security, spying for the Mossad, and committing high treason.” The article emphasizes the gravity of these charges, explaining that “unfortunately, this could lead to a death sentence or, in the best-case scenario, a life sentence.”

The article reveals that “she wasn’t the only person in Egypt to face this deluge of criticism. Several others were also harassed and left for countries abroad, such as Canada.” In an alarming turn of events, Ziada recounts, “I had to leave Egypt within three hours, leaving everything behind, including my family, my car, my house, and all my material possessions. In a minute, I was stripped of everything I had, even my office and colleagues.”

The Jerusalem Post contextualizes Ziada’s journey, noting that she “has navigated the complex and changing politics of Egyptian history in the last decades.” She had “seen the Arab Spring protests and the rise of the Muslim Brotherhood in 2013, and then its replacement with the current government of Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.” She had even “been a supporter of the government and condemned the Brotherhood.” The article explains her initial reasoning: “She believed that it was official Egyptian policy to be against groups like Hamas, which are linked to the Brotherhood.”

The article highlights a painful irony: “After all, it was such groups that had spread chaos and terror in Sinai back in 2012, in that dark era.” Yet now, “she was being accused of crimes against Egypt for standing against the same groups the government had long opposed.”

Finally, The Jerusalem Post reflects on the broader implications of her exile, noting that “Ziada is passionate in her condemnation of the Hamas massacre.” The article emphasizes her moral conviction: “She insists that when you see something wrong, ‘you have to do something.’”

Despite the intense backlash, “she remains firm,” concluding, “I wanted to bring justice to these people. I’m a civil rights activist. I couldn’t keep silent.”

Dalia Ziada chose to stand for righteousness, knowing the cost, yet refusing to be silent. As Proverbs 21:3 reminds us: “To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.” When the world punishes those who speak the truth, we must remember that our duty is not to please man, but to honor God—leaving the consequences in His hands.

Now more than ever, the world must stand with those who speak the truth—before the cost of silence becomes too great. So wake up, Big C Church! Even a Muslim Arab woman can see the true evil in this battle. When will the true remnant of Christ be as brave as this woman and take a stand for what is right?