Parents Circle Families Forum

We express our deepest and heartfelt condemnation of the ongoing violence in the region. It is a time of great sorrow, knowing that countless families now bear the burden of emptiness in their hearts and the heavy weight of grief due to the tragic loss of their loved ones.

Shaky hands as we write this—barely believing this moment has come. A flood of emotions—excitement, nervousness, anxiety, and deep sorrowoverwhelms us. This war has cost us so much. Our hearts have been torn apart every single day over the past 470 days of unimaginable devastation, fear, and loss. Yet, amidst this, we are profoundly thankful to live to witness this day.

A day when people return home. A day when we will see people, hopefully, beginning to heal. A day when our children will finally shake with joy, not terror.

As members of the Parents Circle-Families Forum (PCFF), we, the bereaved Palestinians and Israelis families, will finally have the space to grieve fully for our loved ones—not in the shadow of ongoing violence, but in the fragile light of hope.

For years, we have cried out for a political agreement and nobody listened. For years, we have warned against the endless cycle of bloodshed. These past 470 days have only reaffirmed what we already know: violence will never bring safety, justice, or resolution. It only deepens wounds and perpetuates suffering.

A political agreement is not just an aspiration—it is a necessity. Only through dialogue and the courage to compromise and to see the other side as human being, only then we can begin to rebuild what has been shattered. Only peace can save our region from the abyss.

May this ceasefire be the beginning of true peace process. May we hear the laughter of children again. May we witness the healing of survivors and the rebuilding of lives. May we, as bereaved families, never have to welcome another into our circle because of war.

May we see Gaza and the Gaza envelope in Israel, live again soon. May its streets and homes echo with life, laughter and resilience.

It is time to end this nightmare of occupation. The suffering of our people must end now. The Palestinian people have waited too long for justice, for freedom, for dignity. The Israeli people have waited too long for living in security We demand the end of the occupation and the beginning of a future where Palestinians and Israelis live in peace, freedom, and justice.

The time for change is now. Peace is not a choice—it is a necessity for our survival. Let the world hear and help us to achieve our goal: Now is the time for peace

Nadine Quomsieh & Ayelet Harel

Co-Executive Directors

Nadin Quomsieh and Ayelet Harel

Co-directors PCFF

One of our main activities

An Israeli and a Palestinian, who tell their personal stories of bereavement and explain their choice to engage in dialogue instead of revenge. If you too would like to be a part of promoting peace and reconciliation, you’re welcome to arrange dialogue meetings in your home, in your workplace, in the community center near you, or anywhere you’d like.

FOLLOW US ON TWITTER

Tweets by PCFForg

Personal Stories

Each member in the forum carries within their hearts and bodies the story of the loss of their loved ones. The personal stories offer us a glimpse into their inner world and an understanding that the pain of bereavement is the same for both Israelis and Palestinians.

The Parents Circle Families Forum invites anyone who has lost a family member due to the conflict, to join us

If you have lost a family member due to the conflict, and you are also tired of the never ending cycle of loss of life, we would like to see you with us. Together, we will continue to work to prevent further bereavement, to create dialogue, reconciliation and peace.

A combination of historical national information and the personal and familial stories of the participants

To get to know the personal and national narrative of the “other”, as an important step towards reconciliation between the peoples. So far, during the nine years of the project, 40 groups have been conducted.

FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK

‎פורום המשפחות השכולות Parents Circle Families Forum منتدى العائلات الثكلى‎

Sign up for our newsletter to receive updates about the PCFF and to join our special activities and events

If you wish to sign up to the mailing list in one of the other languages,
please do so through the website in Hebrew or Arabic, respectively.