As Israeli families await news of loved ones who were taken hostage during the attacks by Hamas on 7 October, two men from different sides of the conflict share their stories of grief, an unexpected friendship and forgiveness.
Amid another cycle of violence, a group of bereaved Palestinians and Israelis have a shared message – that peace is the only solution. Bassam Aramin and Ayelet Harel are part of the The Parents Circle – Families Forum, an organization of people who’ve lost immediate family members to the ongoing conflict. They join Chattopadhyay to … Continue reading Bereaved Palestinian and Israeli families say peace is the only solution | CBC Radio
Peace has perhaps never felt so distant for Israel and Palestine as it does now. But amid the horrors of this war, it’s easy to forget that out there – on both sides of the border – are ordinary people working tirelessly in their communities and across divides to achieve it. Here are some of … Continue reading Bridging the divide: 12 groups working for Israel-Palestine peace | Positive News
“You will not be able to achieve peace through war,” says Robi Damelin in an interview with religion.ORF.at. The Israeli peace activist is involved in the Parents Circle Families Forum, a group of Palestinian and Israeli parents who have lost children in the decades-long Middle East conflict. Even in the current crisis, they want to … Continue reading Parents for Peace | Religion ORF
We hear from two parents who have lost children in the long Israel / Palestine conflict – one Israeli, one Palestinian – from a group which brings together bereaved parents across the divide.
The savage images coming out of the Israel-Hamas war have traumatized the world, especially with the slaughtering of innocent infants and children. With rage and heartbreak flaring on both sides, it’s hard to imagine a pathway forward, reconciliation or peace of any kind with such brutality. However, there is a parents group that’s doing just … Continue reading Parent’s group working toward peace amid Israeli-Hamas war | Spectrum News 1
Vigil with Bereaved Israelis and Palestinians October 15, 2023 We, bereaved Israeli and Palestinian families, are devastated by the recent atrocities and the needless loss of more lives. We hold vigil for all those lives that have been lost, for the newly bereaved and to demand an end to the violence. We will hold more … Continue reading Vigil with Bereaved Israelis and Palestinians
The parents, though from opposing sides, have spoken regularly at events together to ‘raise up our voice to stop this madness’. They say they now consider each other ‘like family’ and that ‘We are not here to compare each others’ pain’.
Meanwhile in Sderot, in Ashkelon, in Gaza, children are being killed. While people argue about the equivalencies between Israelis and Palestinians, the blood of their children cries out.
Just over 20 years ago, Robi Damelin’s son was murdered by a Palestinian sniper. Since then, she has dedicated her life to creating peace and reconciliation between Israelis and Palestinians.
I am Kholoud Houshiya and I live in the village of Al Yamun near Jenin. Originally my family is from Haifa. I wasn’t able to experience childhood due to the occupation, which forcibly displaced my family to Jenin under oppression and humiliation.
Later, I married and I gave birth to my first child, whom I named Mohammed. I raised him with all my love and effort.
Mohammed was a young man who loved life dearly, and he loved me even more. He was both my son and my friend, thanks to our close bond.
Mohamad was 23 years old. He worked in Israel and helped his father.
On January 2, 2024 Mohamed took a picture of the Israeli army tearing down my neighbor’s house. The army thought otherwise and they shot him. Just because he was Palestinian.
I always dreamed of seeing my son as a groom, just like any mother. But now, I am left with him buried in my garden. I had hoped to see him, his wife, and his children in my house, but now, every day, I look at his grave from the window in my room.
My message to the world is this: Enough. Enough killing, enough injustice, enough destruction, enough oppression. Enough violence on both sides.
It is not easy for a mother to recount the story of her son’s death—the pain is indescribable. I cannot bear the loss of another child. This is why we must raise the voice of the mothers for a better future for all children and young generations – Palestinians and Israelis.
I am Hala Al-Bukhari, living in Jerusalem.
My daughter, my sister and her large family, children and grandchildren live in Gaza. Despite the distance, before the war, I used to communicate with them daily, checking on their health via video call.
On the morning of October 7th, my son told me to watch TV to see what was happening in southern Israel. From that day, fear has overwhelmed my heart.
Then came the morning of October 18th, bringing the harsh news: My sister’s house was bombed, and she, her husband, her children, and grandchildren were in the house—33 innocent lives lost in this horrific massacre. Since then, my fear for my daughter has grown. I have pleaded with human rights organizations, seeking any means to get her out of the hell of war and the horror of the massacres. Eventually we succeeded to get my daughter out of Gaza.
With every word I write, I struggle to express the extent of my pain. Our hearts bleed with grief for those we have lost and continue to lose. Our sorrow is profound, and our souls yearn for the peace we all dream of.
Let us all live in peace and build a better future for our children. War brings only destruction and ruin to everyone involved, whether Palestinian or Israeli. It is always the innocent people who suffer the most.
I am Liat Atzili from Kibbutz Nir Oz.
My partner, Aviv and I built a life and a family in Nir Oz. We were an inseparable part of this little community, which fulfilled our aspirations and needs. Mine as an educator, and Aviv’s as a farmer and an artist.
On October 7th, our kibbutz was attacked, conquered, and destroyed by Hamas. A quarter of the residents were either killed or kidnapped, including me. The time I spent as a hostage in Gaza was of complete despair, unending fear for my friends and family, and long days. I was nervous that I wouldn’t survive.
After 54 days in captivity, I was returned home. The following day, my family and I were told that Aviv was killed on October 7th. Aviv had hundreds of friends, he traveled and created, and made the most of every opportunity; he truly loved life.In his final year, Aviv fulfilled many dreams, the greatest being to share his art publicly. While managing the kibbutz’s agricultural garage, he painted on tractor parts and scrap metal, blending his love for metals and the Negev fields into his creations. Our children looked up to him and I feel like I had the greatest privilege to share my life with him.
I always believed that war is not our destiny, and that any conflict, including ours, can be solved. This war has proven to me beyond a doubt that we cannot continue fighting, that we have no right to impose the continued suffering of war on future generations on either side. I am ready today, more than ever, to do everything in my power so that our children can live here in peace and security.
I am Mazen from Bethlehem. Many of my family members live in Beit Lahiya, Gaza. They lived in a beautiful house and went on about their lives, despite the siege.
It all stopped on October 10, 2024, when, my uncle, his three sons, and his son-in-law were outside near the house. Israeli aircraft targeted them with bombardment and gunfire. My aunt managed to bring their bodies into the house. With trembling hands, she was forced to gather what remained of them, unable for over a week to lay her husband and three sons to rest.
I cannot believe that so many of my family are dead, and that I cannot go there to help them and cry with them.
The depth of pain in Gaza is beyond description and cannot be fathomed by the human mind. How much longer will this hatred on both sides continue? How much longer will we endure this nightmare? All the Palestinian people desire is a dignified life free from occupation—a fundamental right, just like that of any other people in the world.
The suffering will not cease until we collectively seek pathways to peace and understanding. Revenge will not forge a shared future; we must strive to find common ground and solidarity. Let us unite for a brighter future for the generations to come, and let us raise our voices for peace, so that together we may end this cycle of violence and finally live in safety and harmony.
