Abir’s mother is deeply grieving and refrains from expressing it for the fear of the media parading her pain around. The book also recounts the struggles of Smadar’s mother, Nurit who despite being silent on the pain of losing her daughter, the author details her passion for fighting for change through her activism of peace and holding the Israeli government responsible for her daughter’s death. The author highlights the cycle of violence that war brings and questions whether their actions as teenagers have fueled this war to a point of no return.

They can’t help but feel like their actions might have somehow contributed to the gruesome deaths of their loving daughters. They deeply regret some things they did while fighting in the name of their country. Throughout the book, Bassam and Rami account for their experiences of the war and how it has affected them throughout their lifetime. Their loss is always with them, and they battle it however they can, but their friendship has by far facilitated in their healing. The author uses decades worth of interviews that Bassam and Rami have given to tell this story that still haunts them to this day. Bassam and Rami believe that by sharing their stories, they might be able to turn the tide. They are also calling for an end to the senseless the war that cost them their daughters. They have now been traveling the world for almost a decade sharing their pain and using it as a healing mechanism. Bassam and Rami met years before Abir was shot and her death further strengthens their bond for the deep trauma they now share. Despite their different nationalities and religions, they come together to share their story with the author who turns the story into a gripping tale of death, grief, and healing. Bassam Aramin is a Palestinian Muslim and Rami Elhanan is an Israeli Jew. The tragedy of these two girl’s lives brings two fathers from different sides of a senseless war together as they share their pain and struggles. Unable to access intensive medical care, she dies. Unfortunately, she is fatally shot in the head by an Israeli soldier who claims he was shooting at the protesters. There is a crowd of people protesting while she’s walking.

Ten years later after the incident, ten-year-old Abir Aramin is walking on a street near where Smadar died. Three Palestinian suicide bombers and four other casualties are also among the dead. Thirteen-year-old Smadar Elhanan is walking down a street in Jerusalem on September 4th, 1997, listening to music on her device when a bomb goes off, blowing her to pieces. Written by people who wish to remain anonymous We are thankful for their contributions and encourage you to make your own. These notes were contributed by members of the GradeSaver community.

Apeirogon by Colum McCann