Combatants for Peace, a grassroots organization made up of Palestinian and Israeli peace advocates, has consistently called for dialogue between the two communities for two decades, even during the brutal months of the Gaza war.

Mai Shahin, a Palestinian therapist and Elik Elhanan, a teacher in New York both, at one time, took part in acts of violence. On a visit to UN Headquarters in New York in late January, they told Conor Lennon from UN News that the recent conflict has intensified their belief that communication is the only way to achieve peace.