The months following October 7th have been one never-ending nightmare. All of us, Palestinians and Jews across Israel, Gaza, and the West Bank, have endured unprecedented violence, loss, and trauma. We have been deeply hurt by the loss of life across the land, both from Hamas’ horrific October 7th attack and Israel’s harsh and indiscriminate retaliation on Gaza in the months following the attack. Every person killed and taken hostage in this horrific reality is a tragedy, and the highest prices for this deadly war have been paid by ordinary civilians. Since October 7th Gaza has faced unrelenting bombardment and a catastrophic humanitarian crisis. In the Occupied West Bank, military raids and settler violence have become increasingly frequent and fatal, freedom of movement has become more restricted, and thousands of Palestinians have been detained in administrative detention without trial. Israeli communities along Israel’s northern and southern borders are still displaced, northern Israel has seen constant rocket fire from Hezbollah, and Israeli hostages remain in captivity. In Israel, Palestinian citizens have also been subject to extreme political persecution for acts as simple as identifying with suffering in Gaza on social media. 

Our message is simple: There is another way. We have seen our country launch countless wars and military operations only to end up in the same position. Israel’s policy of attempting to destroy Hamas’ military capabilities every few years has only led to Hamas getting stronger. No military operation has ever produced lasting safety and security for Israelis, while only being catastrophic for Palestinians. The occupation of the West Bank and the blockade on Gaza must end - not only because it is brutal and oppressive for Palestinians - but also because it does not guarantee any long-term safety for Israelis. We know that a negotiated peace agreement is the only way to ensure freedom, equality, and safety for both peoples. As a progressive grassroots movement, we are focused on building the political will in Israeli society to reach a political solution by building a mass movement of Jewish and Palestinian citizens of Israel who truly believe that such a shared future is possible. We call for an urgent ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, to bring back the hostages and save the lives of innocent people in Gaza.