Mothers Across All Battlefields Urge for Peaceful Resolution
In the heart of Israel, a powerful movement of mothers is gaining momentum, their voices echoing a call for peace amid ongoing conflict in Gaza. Led by Ayelet-Hashakhar Saidof, a lawyer and founder of the "Mothers on the Frontline" movement, these women are not alone in their plea. Other mothers' movements, such as the "Ima Era" (Awakened Mother) movement, share their sentiment, with the slogan "We have no children for wars without purpose."
The genesis of these movements can be traced back to October 7, 2023, when a major Hamas attack shocked the nation. In response, women, including these mothers, have become more prominently engaged in combat and frontline roles against the enemy, embodying Israel’s resilience not to be subdued by terror threats. However, this engagement comes with profound personal hardships, as many mothers have lost everything yet continue to stand resolute, some even joining the IDF to contribute directly to the defense effort.
Ayelet-Hashakhar Saidof, for instance, founded the "Mothers on the Frontline" movement in Israel to defend her children, who are soldiers. She is angry at the government and the army for the circumstances in which her children are being sent to Gaza. In the past month alone, 23 Israeli soldiers have died in the Gaza Strip, and more than 450 have been killed since the start of the ground offensive on October 27, 2023. The majority of these deaths were not in combat but rather due to accidents or explosive devices.
The "Mothers on the Frontline" movement is campaigning for an end to the war in Gaza, expressing deep concerns about the safety and well-being of their military children. Ayelet-Hashakhar Saidof's first goal is to ensure that everyone completes their military service, as required by Israeli law. However, she also voices concerns about the psychological wounds and potential for violence that soldiers may bring back from Gaza.
Rotem Sivan-Hoffman, a doctor and mother of two soldiers, is a leader in the "Ima Era" movement. She, too, expresses concern about her son having to return to combat. The movement claims to have 70,000 members, which are mothers of military personnel, both active and reserve. They feel for months that the war should have ended and that no progress has been made towards ending it, freeing hostages, withdrawing the army from Gaza, or reaching agreements.
At the funeral of Yuli Faktor, a 19-year-old soldier killed in the Gaza Strip, his mother spoke to him in Russian at his coffin. She expressed regret and asked for her son's forgiveness. The "Mothers on the Frontline" movement, along with others, symbolises the dual reality faced by many Israeli women and mothers: active participation in national defense and a heartfelt appeal for an end to the violence for the sake of their children’s future. Their advocacy aligns with broader societal reflections in Israel about the cost of continued conflict and aspirations for security and peace.
Politicians are closely monitoring the "Mothers on the Frontline" movement and the "Ima Era" movement, recognizing their potential impact on political discussions surrounding war-and-conflicts, particularly the ongoing conflict in Gaza. The movements' demands for an end to the war and focus on the well-being of military personnel have gained traction in general-news coverage as the voices of these mothers highlight the human toll of the conflict.
