From Gaza to Tel Aviv: The Unbelievable True Story of a Muslim Palestinian Who Escaped to Israel and Became a Jew
Tel Aviv, Israel – Dor Shachar's harrowing and inspiring journey, chronicled in his upcoming book, From Gaza to Tel Aviv: The Unbelievable True Story of a Muslim Palestinian Who Escaped to Israel and Became a Jew (June 16, 2025), offers an intimate look into a life forged in the crucible of Gaza and ultimately transformed in Israel. Born Ayman Abu Suboh, Shachar's story is a powerful testament to the human spirit's resilience in the face of oppression, violence, and profound personal sacrifice.
A Childhood Marked by Poverty and Hatred
Shachar was born in 1977 in Khan Yunis, a city in the southern Gaza Strip, an area characterized by poverty, political repression, and relentless violence. He grew up as the third of seven children in a Muslim family. From a young age, his paternal grandfather instilled in him antisemitic slogans, planting worldviews that would eventually begin to crumble within him.
Life conditions were harsh. The family lived in a small apartment without electricity. While his parents and siblings slept in a few rooms, Shachar and his brother were forced to sleep on mattresses on the balcony, which they folded every morning. Although his father was described as frugal, the family did not suffer from hunger, but scarcity was an integral part of their lives.
Abuse at Home and Shattered Educational Dreams
The violence did not spare his personal life. His father, who also worked in Israel, harbored intense hatred towards Jews. When he discovered Shachar refused to repeat hateful slogans, he brutally beat him with a rubber hose on his stomach and back. By the age of 7 or 8, Shachar was considered a "failure" by his family for refusing to identify with ideas of attacks. His father threatened him with disownment, and the entire family threatened to throw him out of the house, forcing him to sleep on the roof, and shaming him until he was deemed "accused of a political crime."
Despite this, as a child, Shachar was very excited to go to school. He hoped to learn and fulfill his dream of becoming a doctor. But the educational system also reflected the harsh reality and pulled him away from his dream. Soon, lessons focused on extremist content. Within the first weeks of school, teachers taught that "the war against the Jews is a commandment and we must die as martyrs." The school emphasized death as heroism for Palestine. Shachar was severely beaten when he declared, "Dying for the Jews – not for me." This education, based on hatred and incitement, perpetuated the cycle of violence instead of promoting hope or peace.
Imprisonment in Gaza: The Cost of Dissent
Shachar describes how any criticism of Hamas or the Palestinian Authority was considered a severe crime. Anyone who dared to ask questions or express doubt about the regime faced threats, arrest, torture, and sometimes even execution. He describes Hamas as a regime of fear, enslaving Palestinian citizens to an extremist and violent ideology.
At some point, Shachar was arrested and imprisoned by the security forces of the Palestinian Authority or Hamas. He recounts brutal prison conditions: he was beaten, interrogated mercilessly, and subjected to physical and psychological abuse - including sleep deprivation, systematic beatings, and humiliating treatment. He was accused of treason against the Palestinian people, contact with the "Zionist entity," and even suspected of collaboration. One of the most difficult moments of his life was maintaining his sanity during those days of interrogation, knowing that if he broke, he would die or disappear forever. Shachar was released. He then realized he had no future in the Strip and decided to flee permanently – this time into Israel to seek asylum for the rest of his life.
Escape to Israel and a Second Imprisonment
At the age of 12 or 13, after a complete severance from his family, Shachar decided to flee Gaza. He entered Israel disoriented, hungry, and without documents, running through forests until he reached Israeli territory. He worked on construction sites, sometimes sleeping outdoors, and tried to integrate into a Jewish environment despite not knowing the culture or language.
At some point, he was identified as a Palestinian minor without papers and arrested by Israeli security forces. He was transferred to a detention facility for undocumented minors/illegal residents. According to him, he was not physically tortured there, but his stay was emotionally terrifying: he felt confused, did not understand the Israeli legal system, and did not know who was for him and who was against him. Eventually, he was released with special permission, seemingly after expressing clear opposition to Hamas and requesting not to return to the Strip.
Upon his return from Israeli prison, hoping for refuge at his father's house, he discovered he had ten new siblings and no place in the home. He was thrown out to sleep with the animals.
A New Identity and a Public Mission
After his release, Shachar underwent a profound identity transformation: he chose the Hebrew name "Dor Shachar," grew closer to Judaism, and began the conversion process. He tried to build a new life for himself – but as a refugee, a former Christian, and a former Palestinian – he was a target for his previous community, and suspicion was cast upon him in Israel as well.
Over time, Shachar began to share his story publicly through media appearances, interviews, and conferences. He became a spokesperson offering a unique perspective of a former Palestinian who opposes Hamas and warns against the dangers of its rule. Shachar emphasizes that his goal is not to justify Palestinian suffering, but to highlight that a significant portion of it stems from the rule of Hamas and the Palestinian Authority, not solely from Israeli policy. He argues that many in Gaza feel the same way – exhausted and desperate – but remain silent out of fear. According to him, education in Gaza continues to perpetuate the cycle of violence instead of breaking it. He calls on the international community and the Arab world to recognize that Gaza's true struggle is also internal, and that true liberation will come from deep social, educational, and political change that will end the rule of terror from within.
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