The Other Side of The Wall: From October 7th to the Gaza War
I spent a year among friends who would worry every time I crossed their “enemy” line—a year marked by an emotional rollercoaster that has accompanied me throughout this journey for over a decade. It was a passage that felt almost metaphysical—a stroke of the paddle in a river heading toward the heart of the forest, much like Conrad’s narrative. For a month, I collected stories steeped in hatred, resentment, and distrust, alongside testimonies of pain, disbelief, courage, pride, resistance, and resilience.The conflict that erupted on October 7 has transcended being merely a matter of military force, territorial disputes, or moral justice. Today, it has become something deeper, something existential that touches the very core of both peoples, sparing no one.How much longer must Palestinians endure the fear and trauma of occupation? How much longer must Israelis send their children to die, all in the pursuit of securing their existence as Jews? How much blood and hatred must be shed on both sides before reaching a breaking point, where humanity finally declares, “Enough”? October 7 shattered all balances, radicalizing even the most moderate voices on both sides—those very seeds of peace who, despite our declarations from the outside, had been striving to build bridges. People like Ahmed, Ami, Aviv, Samar, Mujahid, Aliza, and Nissan—who quietly wove threads of hope, arm in arm, fully aware of the complexities of a conflict that reverberates across the globe. (Nino Orto)
