On October 7th, Sharone Lifschitz’s parents were kidnapped by members of Hamas - and she explains why she opposes extremism in all forms and the military takeover of Gaza.

Her mother was released two weeks later, but her father was murdered and his body was returned to Israel last February.

Sharone is now calling on the Israeli Government to not annex Gaza as she says they will be risking the lives of all remaining hostages.  

Sharone Lifschitz

Ms. Lifschitz spoke to Ciara Kelly on Newstalk Breakfast and described the shocking events of the day her parents were taken hostage. 

 “I was going on a day trip from London to York, when I heard that something happened.

“By then, there was no contact with my parents and they just disappeared.

“In the hours that followed, we heard a series of such horrific things happening: the executions live on social media of my childhood carer, mother of a friend of mine, The continuous news about more and more people that were dead. 

“The kibbutzim (communal living area) was taken over. I saw an Al-Jazeera so-called journalist outside my parents’ home, about 100 metres from them, saying that they had conquered the kibbutzim.

“It was such a horrific day, and the days and weeks that followed were when we were slowly finding more people. 

“64 members of my community died on that day, were murdered brutally.

“My mum returned after 17 days, but my father died, was murdered in captivity, and his remains returned 502 days later.” 

An end to the war

Sharone explains the impact that October 7th attacks had on her world and her worldview.

 “It’s a life-changing trauma. It's so hard to explain the trauma that is so personal and so collectively big, and it really drives the way that people in Israel feel their capacity for compassion to the other side; the level of trust that they feel toward our Palestinian neighbors has [been] totally changed by that." 

Ms. Lifschitz’s father was a journalist and a campaigner for peace and says that her father's viewpoint represents many in Israel. 

 “My father really wanted to do the right thing.

"He died as a Zionist, but people reduce Zionism to one point of view. There were always - and still are - different ways of being a Zionist, and different ways of being pro-Israel.

“My father, and he's not the only one, believed in a two-state solution and believed we must find a way to live in peace.

 “He didn’t just believe; he worked at it - as an advocate, as a journalist, and [at] a personal level of doing something for our neighbours of showing them that we care.

“I think this level of working both on the small personal level and trying to affect reality is what very much drives me now.

 Sharone believes that Israel is being run by an extremist faction in government and that what is happening in Gaza cannot continue.

“I know that no hostages will come back without a comprehensive deal, and the terms of that deal have not changed from the beginning. They are about ending this horrific war and the withdrawal of Israel from Gaza.

“And only then will the last of the hostages come back.

“Israel demands that Hamas - the most horrific of terrorist organizations—be removed from power.

 “I know that [my father] would have looked at the bigger picture, he would have hoped that we would work with modern Palestinian and Arab forces to bring about the end of this war."

Ms. Lifschitz says that the level of extremism on both sides is an issue to reaching an agreement and an end to the war.

“I do believe that both nations are being led by extremists, that do not want a solution.

“They are being aided and abetted by a lot of voices from Europe, that also do not want a solution that accommodates for both sides.

“I absolutely condemn any attempt to remove the Palestinians from Palestine, I also do not share any sympathy to people who suggest that the Israelis will be gone.

“Our job is to find a way of living together, they are our most bitter enemy - it will take generations, but it will happen in the end. 

Sharone opposes the Israeli government's proposed full military takeover of Gaza.

“[I feel] rage, even the head of the IDF says this will lead to the death of hostages.

“This is against the expressed wish of the majority of Israelis.

“There’s no reason to support this mad, mad idea.

“There are huge demonstrations taking place every week and every day for this not to happen.

"I am not optimistic but feel that this fight is worth fighting for."

Written by Cara McHugh.