麻豆社

After seven weeks of war between Hamas and Israel, there was a deal for a pause in the fighting. On Friday morning the rockets and gunfire fell silent in Gaza. The agreement also included the release of Palestinians in Israeli prisons and Israeli hostages held in Gaza; plus more aid deliveries to the people of Gaza. After so much trauma and anger, host James Reynolds hears from those who say there has to be another way than war. He talks with two members of Parents for Peace - an organisation consisting of both Israeli and Palestinian parents who have lost children throughout decades of conflict. A Palestinian sniper killed Robi Damelin鈥檚 22-year-old son, David, in 2002. An Israeli soldier killed Bassam Aram鈥檚 10-year-old daughter, Abir, with a rubber bullet, outside her school in 2007. Today, Robi and Bassam are united in using their grief positively for peace and to help others who continue to suffer the consequences of war. 鈥淚nstead of building more graves, they need to try to move on with this pain, to use it as a motivation,鈥� says Bassam. 鈥淭o build more bridges for peace for the memory of their beloved one.鈥� We also hear how two Israelis are coping under the strain of not seeing their relatives; knowing they are probably being held hostage in Gaza, but are unlikely to be released as part of the current deal.
(Photo: Robi Damelin (l) and Bassam Aram)