I lost my parents in the Hamas attack. My family want peace, not revenge for their deaths | Magen Inon

People from both sides of the border have reasons to hate one another, but the only way to end this war is to treat each other humanely

I grew up in the south of Israel with my parents and four siblings in a small village called Netiv Haasara, which is one of the closest Israeli villages to the Gaza Strip. What I remember most vividly about my childhood is the scenery - beautiful sand dunes overlooking the Mediterranean. As a teenager, I would run for an hour to the beach, and my father would come and pick me up afterwards in his truck.

Every summer, including the last, my family and I travelled from London to spend time with my parents in the village. They enjoyed entire happy days with my three small children, getting to know our little 10-month-old boy, the youngest of their 11 grandchildren. We were so happy together - playing card games, swimming in the sea, doing artwork, working in the garden. It is hard to think of this place as a war zone, as the tragedy of the Hamas attack unfolds daily. Both my parents - my beloved wonderful parents, Yakov and Bilha Inon - are now dead.

Magen Inon is a London-based father of three from Israel who is a teacher and holds a PhD in philosophy of education

As told to Kirsty Major

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