Egyptian human rights activist Majed el-Shafie is shedding light on the realities of conflict and survival through his latest documentary, Dying to Live. In an exclusive interview with The Media Line, El-Shafie discussed his personal journey, his human rights advocacy, and the film’s mission to foster understanding amid ongoing turmoil in the Middle East.
El-Shafie, the founder of One Free World International, shared his harrowing experience of being tortured in an Egyptian prison before fleeing to Israel for refuge. “I was tortured very severely underground. The scars on my body are my Medal of Honor,” he said, explaining how his suffering motivated him to establish his global human rights organization. Reflecting on his first interactions with Israelis, El-Shafie stated, “For the first time, I sat down with Israelis and understood their compassion and their love. God used Israel to save my life.”
His documentary, Dying to Live, not only recounts the brutal October 7, 2023 Hamas-led attacks on Israel but also aims to counter extremist ideologies. “The first purpose is to tell the truth about the situation in Israel to the Western world. The second purpose is to tell the Israelis that they are not alone; in fact, an Egyptian is by their side. The third purpose, and the most important, is to duplicate this movie in Arabic, Persian, and Urdu to fight extremist ideology and denialism in the Middle East,” El-Shafie explained.
David Parsons, vice president of the International Christian Embassy of Jerusalem, praised the film’s emotional depth. “Majed humanizes the people and their suffering. The camera captures special moments, like Harel Lapidot mourning the loss of his niece, making Israelis real—not horrible or scary—but real human beings who have suffered,” Parsons remarked.
One of the film’s most moving stories is that of Harel Lapidot, who lost his niece, Tiferet, during the Hamas attack at the Nova Festival. Lapidot expressed his grief, telling The Media Line, “Every day that I wake up in the morning, I tell myself, perhaps it’s just a nightmare. Tiferet was our sunshine, hunted like an animal during a peace festival. She was murdered just because she was a Jew.” Lapidot also recalled Tiferet’s compassion, highlighting her dedication to helping children of all faiths in South Africa and Israel.
Confronting criticisms of Israel
The documentary also confronts criticisms of Israel, especially in the aftermath of the October 7 attacks. Responding to figures like Egyptian American comedian Bassem Youssef, El-Shafie stressed the need for moral clarity. “It doesn’t matter where you’re standing on the case of the Israelis and the Palestinians. What happened on October 7 is wrong. Killing of the innocent is wrong. End of the story,” he stated.
El-Shafie also challenged critics who spread misinformation. “Are you willing to believe a terrorist organization without facts? Be honest in your opinion. Debate somebody who knows what they are talking about,” he urged.
Concluding with a powerful message, El-Shafie called on viewers to reflect on their role in addressing injustice. “Once you know the truth, you have two options in life: You become part of the problem or the heart of the solution. The world will not remember the words of our enemy but the silence of our friends.”
Dying to Live serves as both a witness to suffering and a call to action. By sharing personal stories of loss and resilience, the documentary challenges audiences to confront uncomfortable truths and become agents of change in a world fraught with division.