By: Yomna Walid
In just eight episodes, Kira Yaghnam delivers a performance that leaves a strong impression. In &ldquo;Sohab Al Ard&rdquo;, she plays Dr Raghad, a pregnant Palestinian doctor trying to continue her work and protect her family as war surrounds her.
Raghad is not shown as a larger-than-life hero. She is an ordinary woman with simple hopes; to live safely, to care for her patients, and to bring her child into a secure future. But when daily life becomes dangerous, even these basic wishes require courage.
The series does not focus on politics or statistics. Instead, it tells a human story. It shows doctors who stay in hospitals despite the risks, families who hold on to hope, and people who try to keep their dignity in the middle of conflict. Through Raghad, Yaghnam highlights the personal cost of war and reminds viewers that every life matters.
Yaghnam first gained wider attention for her role as Hiba in the second season of &ldquo;AlRawabi School for Girls&rdquo;, a drama that explored social pressures among teenage girls. That role showed her ability to portray complex emotions; something she brings again to &ldquo;Sohab Al Ard&rdquo;.
In an exclusive interview, NileFM speaks to Yaghnam about how she prepared for the role, the emotional challenges of playing a mother-to-be during wartime, and the message she hopes audiences will remember after watching the series.
 1. How did you mentally and emotionally prepare to portray Dr Raghad?
My preparation was less about acting and more about listening, listening to real testimonies, real grief, and real resilience, and trying to honour them with truth and dignity. I immersed myself in testimonies from Palestinian medical professionals in Gaza, especially women. Listening to already traumatised individuals describe the psychological burden of making impossible decisions under unimaginable pressure shaped Raghad more than anything else.
What moved me most was the quiet strength of doctors who refused to abandon their hospitals. Raghad carries that same commitment. On set, the immersion was powerful, thanks in large part to the amazing makeup, wardrobe, and set design. But no performance can replicate that horrific reality, so I approached every scene with a sense of responsibility and restraint.
Understanding that this is not an abstract conflict, but an ongoing genocide was essential to my approach. As a Palestinian Jordanian, this reality is not distant to me; it is deeply personal and part of my family history.
<a href="https://ibb.co/9mZJLTPs"><img src="https://i.ibb.co/ZR23P89W/1.png" alt="1" border="0" /></a>&nbsp;
2. What message do you personally want the audience to take away from &ldquo;Sohab El Ard&rdquo;?
More than anything, I hope audiences remember that every life in Gaza mattered and still matters.
When we hear overwhelming numbers, suffering can start to feel normalised. But behind every statistic is a person. A full life. Plans for tomorrow, just like you and me. Dreams, fears, unfinished conversations. A newlywed couple building a future. A child wishing to be a football star. A grandparent with Alzheimer&rsquo;s holding on to memory.
One of the most dangerous things about prolonged tragedy is desensitisation. It becomes background noise. I hope this series interrupts that. If it makes someone pause, feel, or care more deeply, then it has done something meaningful. Empathy is not political; it is human.
<a href="https://ibb.co/Dfh4yk7S"><img src="https://i.ibb.co/xqWh0GMR/Copy-of-Red-and-Orange-Photocentric-Modern-Newsroom-Instagram-Post.png" alt="Copy-of-Red-and-Orange-Photocentric-Modern-Newsroom-Instagram-Post" border="0" /></a>&nbsp;
3. If you could highlight one story or message from the series that touched you the most, which would it be and why?
For me, every story in Gaza is deeply moving, and every storyline in this series is important because it highlights a different aspect of reality. But if I had to choose, I would say Raghad&rsquo;s story represents a type of devotion that truly moved me.
Not because I played her, but because she represents something that affected me long before this project; the Palestinian doctors in Gaza who refused to abandon their patients.
She is a doctor. She is pregnant. She is finally allowing herself hope and happiness, a child, a future, a small pocket of light in the middle of devastation. And yet, when her husband Bassem is brought in bleeding after a school attack, and the hospital is about to be bombed, she makes a choice. She refuses to evacuate. She continues the surgery. She stays with him.
That decision is the heart of her story. It reflects what so many real Palestinian doctors did, choosing to remain in hospitals under attack, choosing responsibility over survival. There is something profoundly human, and profoundly tragic, about that kind of devotion.
What broke me was not only their deaths, but the fact that just days before, Raghad had allowed herself vulnerability. She admitted she was afraid of being killed before giving birth. For a woman who had endured so much trauma and built so much emotional armour, that glimpse of hope meant everything. To then see her body lying over Bassem&rsquo;s at the end was devastating. It represented the collapse of a future.
For those rooting for the couple to have a happy ending, the reality is that many Palestinians in Gaza do not get one. Raghad and Bassem represented real people and real truths, even though they were fictional characters.
That storyline showed us that resilience does not cancel fear. Strength does not erase dreams. These were people who loved deeply, who had plans, who were waiting for a child.
And the message that stays with me is this: even in unimaginable circumstances, the people of Palestine still choose love, still choose duty, still choose to stay.
Raghad&rsquo;s final act was a commitment to her patient, to her husband, and to the life she devoted herself to as a doctor.
<a href="https://ibb.co/bg9Z1SL7"><img src="https://i.ibb.co/vxnG17mD/3.png" alt="3" border="0" /></a> 4. What has been the most powerful or emotional reaction you received from viewers regarding your role?
The most powerful reactions have come from Palestinians watching inside Gaza.
I received messages from journalists and ordinary viewers who told me that Raghad reminded them of real doctors they knew. One even mentioned that I reminded them of a doctor at Al-Shifa Hospital. Hearing that was overwhelming because it meant the portrayal felt truthful to those who lived it.
Others wrote to say that watching the series made them relive painful memories, but that they also felt seen that their experiences were acknowledged rather than erased. That word, &ldquo;seen&rdquo;, stayed with me. If the people our series represents feel honoured and recognised, then we have done something meaningful.
5. Can you share behind-the-scenes moments from working with the cast, especially with Menna Shalaby and Eyad Nassar?
Working with Menna Shalaby and Eyad Nassar was a real privilege.
Even though I did not have many scenes with Eyad, we spoke often on set about the responsibility we carried in telling this story. We shared the view that our characters should not feel perfect or symbolic. They had to feel human flawed, vulnerable, real. That is what makes an audience care.
Watching Menna&rsquo;s performances was astounding, but her generosity off camera was equally powerful. She creates a calm and safe working environment. There is no ego. In emotionally heavy scenes, she was fully present and supportive, lifting everyone around her. I learned a great deal simply by observing her discipline and control.
What impressed me most about both was their humility. They lead with grace.
6. Can you share an unforgettable piece of advice you received from director Peter Mimi during filming?
One thing Dr Mimi told us that stayed with me was this: do not play heroes, play humans.
He reminded us that many Palestinians do not want to be seen as heroes or symbols of resilience; they simply want the right to live normal lives like everyone else. That shaped my entire approach to Raghad.
In extreme circumstances, it is tempting to portray characters as larger than life. But he was very clear: do not perform heroism, perform truth.
The circumstances were already extreme. Our job was to remain grounded and behave as real people would under that pressure. That restraint is what made the story powerful.
7. What were the biggest challenges you faced while filming, and how did you overcome them?
One of the biggest challenges was balancing filming with my final year at university in the UK. I travelled back and forth between Egypt and my studies during final exams. It required discipline, and at one point I considered delaying graduation because I felt this project deserved that level of commitment. Thankfully, Dr Mimi and the production team were very supportive in adjusting the schedule so I could manage both.
Artistically, I focused on getting the dialect right. Although I am Palestinian Jordanian, Raghad is from Jerusalem, and I felt a strong responsibility to be precise. Dialect carries identity. I worked closely with our dialect coach, Kamal Abu Nasser, who also played Dr Mostafa. He was incredibly patient, listening to scenes carefully to ensure everything felt natural and truthful.
In the end, both challenges came down to responsibility to my education and to the people whose story we were telling.
8. You became widely known through the hit series &ldquo;AlRawabi School for Girls,&rdquo; which tackled important social issues. What does that project mean to you today?
&ldquo;AlRawabi School for Girls&rdquo; will always be dear to me. It was my acting debut, and I am deeply grateful to Tima Shomali for trusting me with that opportunity. Hiba introduced me to audiences, and in many ways, she introduced me to myself as an actress.
That project showed me how powerful storytelling can be when it addresses real social issues, how fiction can open conversations that are otherwise difficult to have. It proved that young female characters can be complex, flawed, and deeply human.
Today, I see AlRawabi as the beginning of my journey. Every role since then, including Raghad, has deepened my sense of responsibility as an artist. I do not leave characters behind; I grow with them.
<a href="https://ibb.co/rRNhHTCv"><img src="https://i.ibb.co/q3V8pXtx/4.png" alt="4" border="0" /></a>&nbsp;
9. Working with director Tima Shomali, how would you describe the experience?
I was fortunate to begin my career under Tima&rsquo;s direction. She has a clear vision and high standards, and she knows exactly what she wants from every character and scene.
What I learned from her is that vulnerability on screen is strength. She allows her characters, especially young women, to be complex and imperfect rather than reduced to stereotypes. That honesty shaped how I approach every role.
She is hands-on and precise, but she also creates a safe space for actors to explore. That balance between structure and freedom was a significant lesson for me.
10. How do you adapt to different languages and dialects?
Dialect is not just about pronunciation; it carries identity, memory, and place. Even within the Levant, accents shift from city to city, sometimes from neighbourhood to neighbourhood, and those details matter.
Because I am Palestinian Jordanian and grew up hearing multiple Levantine dialects within my own family, I approach each role with respect for specificity. Each character deserves precision.
I listen carefully to native speakers, study the rhythm and tone, and work closely with a dialect coach from the region. I rehearse until the accent feels embodied, so I am not performing it; I am living inside it.
When the dialect becomes effortless, that is when it is believable.
11. What does it mean to portray a story that highlights the human side of conflict?
Portraying this story means refusing to let suffering become just a headline or a statistic. It means showing families, dreams, and ordinary lives interrupted.
Resilience here is about people holding on to their identity, their humanity, and their love for life, even when everything around them tries to strip it away.
12. What upcoming projects can we look forward to?
There are several projects currently in development that I am genuinely excited about. In this industry, I have learned not to speak too soon until projects are confirmed and on screen.
What I can say is that I am intentional about the roles I choose. I look for characters that challenge me emotionally, intellectually, and physically, and stories that feel meaningful. I am excited for what is ahead.
13. What advice would you give to young actors?
Understand that acting is not about performing emotion; it is about understanding it. Study people. Stay curious. Study silence. Study psychology. Study how pain hides and how joy appears unexpectedly.
The camera sees everything, especially what you try to fake. The most compelling performances come from actors who are constantly learning about the world, about themselves, and about others.
Train your voice. Train your body. Respect dialect. The work always shows.
Detach your ego from outcomes and build resilience. There will be auditions you were perfect for and did not get. That does not define you. What defines you is whether you continue sharpening your craft when no one is watching.
And most importantly, protect your inner life and stay true to yourself. This industry can make you chase validation and question your identity. Do not depend on applause for your sense of worth. The moment you rely on external approval to feel valuable, you give away your power.
Build depth before you build visibility. That depth will sustain you when visibility fluctuates.
&nbsp;<a href="https://ibb.co/vxMw26MN"><img src="https://i.ibb.co/SXZsq4Zk/Copy-of-Red-and-Orange-Photocentric-Modern-Newsroom-Instagram-Post-1.png" alt="Copy-of-Red-and-Orange-Photocentric-Modern-Newsroom-Instagram-Post-1" border="0" /></a>
Photo Credit: Kira Yaghnam&rsquo;s official page

On Air Now

Non-Stop Music

You May like

Schedule

Non-Stop Music