Two days ago I was lucky enough to speak again with one of the girls who attended the peace camp I created and who co-created the documentary with all of us. If you saw the film you will know her as Bessan (far left, above), she lived in Gaza.

Saturday, the house she and her family lived in was hit and she was killed.

Bessan and 2 of her sisters, her cousin was killed as well.

Her sister, Shatah is fighting for her life in a hospital as I write. It is hard to wrap my mind around this whole event.

Some of you had the amazing luck to meet Bessan. She was bright, beautiful, spoke honestly, said unpopular things to speak her truths and, she was a peace maker.

I am telling you all this because I am so sad, but also because it illustrates what I wholly believe; violence does not work. It just kills hope and it kills people.

Bessan and her family, like far too many, died literally in the the midst of people hating and fearing one another. And for what?

I will never understand how we "win" wars and how violence leads to peace.

Somehow I still believe that if we find another way, without guns and bombs and tanks and missiles, maybe one day we will ALL see that this conflict is really about not truly knowing, wanting to know or listening to each other, not seeing the commonality and the humanity.

Speak of peace , even when people are pissing you off. Use words not guns.

Debra