Three days before the land they inhabit roars back to life, hundreds of Palestinian and Israeli women raise their voices in unison. They shout enough times, again and again, and their unity is stronger than it seems. They met on October 4, 72 hours after Hamas attacked communities in southern Israel, killing 1,200 people, and the Israeli defense forces responded with a war that swept through the Gaza Strip. They share laughter, conversation, and embraces. One participant says with astonishment, “It’s as if we glimpse another life.” Judith Gilbert, from the Israeli organization Women for Peace, based in Jerusalem, describes the moment. Farther south, in the city, checkpoints dot the landscape. Belen Palestinian Merve Hammad, from the fraternal association Women of the Sun, reflects the same memory. Yet the scale of death and destruction has only strengthened their resolve.
“We live on this land and will not leave, and they live on this land and will not leave, so the path is to find a way to coexist,” explains Hammad. Thousands of Palestinian and Israeli women from diverse backgrounds gather with a shared, enduring connection—separated by a wall that stretches for tens of kilometers. They meet, talk, and seek a future where heartbreak and pain, caused by colleagues on the other side, can be avoided. “We are not a single pacifist movement,” Gilbert notes calmly. “What we are here to say is that if escalation to armed conflict occurs, it should follow a very different order of events.” Each side is effortfully seeking a peaceful solution.
“War only brings more war”
With more than 20,000 lives lost on both sides in just over two and a half months of open conflict, the urgency to find a path to peace is undeniable. “After seven, we recognize the need for a political settlement more clearly than ever,” Gilbert tells EL PERIÓDICO, part of the Prensa Ibérica group. She emphasizes that peace should be the guiding principle, not a concession to war. Hammad concurs, stating that the answer lies in political agreement rather than continued fighting. A large cadre of women shares this belief. The Israeli Women’s Movement for Peace has grown into the largest grassroots presence in the country, with tens of thousands of members, while the Women of the Sun in Palestine have brought together thousands in a short span and thousands more in Gaza before the latest hostilities.
“Collaborating with Palestinian colleagues is more important than ever,” notes Gilbert in a Jerusalem café. “Our partners are 3,000 Palestinian women who want the same outcome: a future for their children.” The goal is clear: political agreements, not military moves. Yet the casualty figures in Gaza underscore the human cost involved on both sides. As in any modern conflict, those casualties include children and adults alike. The women demand a seat at the negotiating table, even if leaders on both sides seem reluctant to sit down.
Feminize decision making
Conflict on the same land has persisted for nearly a century, and the women involved insist on a voice at the table. After countless attempts at peace that yielded little, they argue for shifting the power balance toward inclusive, life-centered decisions. The changes envisioned may be controversial, yet these women point to the harm caused by excluding female perspectives as a reason to push for new methods. Hammad suggests that the process must prioritize human life over any military objective, while Gilbert adds that the discussion must include fresh ways to handle governance.
Their focus expands beyond borders to education, health, culture, art, music, sustainability, and sports—areas where communities can find common ground. Across generations, their words carry hope for a brighter tomorrow. The two organizations—Women for Peace and Women of the Sun—began organizing after October 7, dedicating themselves to mutual care across communities. The memory of a co-founder, Vivian Silver, who was killed during the early stages of the conflict, reinforces the urgency of the mission. The call remains steadfast: a commitment to peace through dialogue and collective action.
Love for life
For Palestinians, the choice is clear—there is a need to grieve together and to preserve life amid a war that has dragged on for months. The casualty counts in Gaza have surged while those in the West Bank face ongoing pressures. The wall between communities has created distance, and many Palestinians mainly see Israeli soldiers rather than individuals—an outcome the women seek to reverse. The October 4 gathering marked a first step toward mutual understanding, with participants sharing stories of loss and resilience. Though not all participants are mothers, a shared commitment to life unites them, a powerful, unwavering force.
Israeli and Palestinian women, bearing flags of peace and sun, stand together in the struggle. The message is simple: the goal is a flourishing life for everyone on the land, not exclusive claims. It is a belief that peace depends on the coexistence and well-being of all communities. The call to begin talking, to keep talking until there is nothing left unsaid, reflects the belief that the value of life surpasses any single territorial claim. The voice of a Palestinian woman involved in the effort fits this sentiment perfectly: a life lived for children and future generations, and a refusal to concede to despair. The shared wisdom is clear—peace requires both sides to recognize that the other has something essential to offer, and that a lasting settlement benefits all parties involved.