A sad memory from the evening of 6 October 2023 is stuck in the back of my mind, and often trickles back into the forefront of my thoughts when I think about the ongoing spasms of war between Israel and Hamas and the resulting death and destruction in Gaza.

I was scrolling through my Facebook feed when I saw some photos uploaded by Jewish friends celebrating Sukkot, a holiday commemorating the biblical story of the Israelites’ 40-year journey through the desert after their exodus from enslavement in Egypt, led by Moses. The pictures showed the temporary outdoor structure called a sukkah that a friend had erected in his back garden. These structures, with roofs created from natural materials like branches or leaves, are built on Sukkot to represent the fragile dwellings the Israelites lived in during their journey. During the week-long festival, families and friends gather in these sukkahs to eat, socialise, and reflect on their religion, and their lives.

At the time, I was just a Palestinian-British student who had gained a few Jewish friends by participating in small-scale peace groups. I wanted to learn about the other side’s narratives and history because I believed then—just as I believe now—that neither Palestinians nor Israelis are going anywhere, so we have to live in peace together, and that the process of peacemaking starts with being able to listen to each other and understand each other’s lives and troubles.