Amer Abu Sabila, 25: Killed trying to save two young girls in Sderot

Bedouin construction worker slain by Hamas on October 7

Amer Odeh Abu Sabila, 25, from the Abu Talul Bedouin village, was killed on October 7, while trying to save the two daughters of Dolev and Odaya Swissa near the police station in the southern city of Sderot.

Abu Sabila worked in construction and was visiting two of his brothers who worked as guards in Sderot.

He heard the cries of Odaya, whose husband Dolev had been murdered by Hamas terrorists. He attempted to take Dolev’s spot in the driver’s seat to move the car out of firing range but was shot dead alongside Odaya.

The young girls, aged 3 and 6, lay on the floor of the vehicle and were saved and later rescued amid the ongoing gun battles in Sderot.

Another family member, Mussa Abu Sabila, 41, a father of six, was also murdered on October 7, near where he was working as a security guard in Kibbutz Re’im.

His cousin, Ali Abu Sabila, described Amer to the Kan public broadcaster as “an ambitious young guy, he was 25, married with two children,” and had been working for seven years for a construction company in central Israel.

“Every weekend he would visit his family in the Sderot area,” said Ali, “to spend time with his parents.”

When the sirens began that Saturday, his cousin said, instead of fleeing, Amer stayed to try and help.

His body wasn’t identified until 16 days later, his cousin said: “It’s a loss for the whole family… It’s very hard! But we believe it’s from a higher power.”