600 DAYS IN GAZA: the one known known in the many unknown unknowns:
On Wednesday, May 28, Israel marked a grim milestone—600 days of war, the longest conflict in the nation’s history. The question of victory remains an uncertain reality, and the answer is anything but straightforward. As former MK Mossi Raz poignantly stated in an interview with ALL ISRAEL NEWS: “In war, both sides lose. We have lost so much,” he reflected. “Perhaps the other side has lost even more. But that does not bring me any solace.” Ultimately, the true outcome of this war will only be written in its final chapter—when it ends, how it ends, and indeed, if it ends.
Yet, beyond the measurable conquests and the quantifiable victories, there lie incalculable losses and immeasurable scars that will only surface in generations to come. The deepest scars of war are not in the immediate rubble of destroyed cities or even the graves of fallen soldiers but in the unseen trauma carried by generations that will follow.
In Rumsfeld’s Rules: Leadership Lessons in Business, Politics, War, and Life, former Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld outlines a framework that could assist in understanding the uncertainties surrounding the war in Gaza:
- THE KNOWN KNOWNS: the things we know we know.
- THE KNOWN UNKNOWNS: the things we know we don’t know.
- THE UNKNOWN UNKNOWNS: the things we don’t know we don’t know.
It is this last category that poses the greatest danger, both in war and in life. Israel didn’t know that it didn’t know Hamas was preparing for the October 2023 invasion—a devastating attack that claimed over a thousand Israeli lives and reshaped the Middle East. Hezbollah didn’t know that it didn’t know Israel was weaponizing pagers to eliminate many of its leaders. For Israel and Gaza, these unknown unknowns will be the greatest challenge to face in the months and years ahead.
THE KNOWN KNOWNS
- From an Israeli perspective:
Accurate figures are hard to pin down since updates flow constantly, but here’s what we know according to the latest available reports:
Civilian casualties:
The initial Hamas assault on October 7, 2023, claimed 1,139 Israeli lives and resulted in the abduction of 251 individuals. At present, 58 hostages remain in captivity in Gaza. These figures represent the most clearly documented losses, though the numbers have undoubtedly evolved throughout the ongoing conflict.
Child casualties: Israel’s social security data, indicate that 36 children were among the Israeli civilians killed in the attack
Military casualties: The exact number depends on how the losses are categorized and the timeframe considered. According to the official IDF casualty dashboard, “Swords of Iron,” updated on May 20, 416 soldiers have fallen in combat in the Gaza Strip since the start of ground operations on October 27, 2023 .
On the other hand, a report from The Times of Israel lists a total of 856 names—encompassing soldiers, officers, and reservists—killed in this ongoing conflict since October 7, 2023 .
- From a Gaza perspective
Civilian casualties: Some reports suggest that when all factors are taken into account, including unconfirmed and inaccessible areas, the total number of deaths may indeed have now surpassed 70,000. The number of injured has now surpassed 110,000 people
Child casualties: Reports from Gaza paint a harrowing picture of the toll that the conflict has taken on children, with severe injuries—including amputations—serving as stark reminders of the war’s brutality. Humanitarian organisations have documented multiple accounts of children suffering catastrophic injuries as a result of airstrikes and ground assaults. Both deaths and injuries indicate that more than 50,000 children have been affected by the conflict.
Infrastructure: According to the latest data from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the World Health Organization and the Palestinian government as of January 15, Israeli attacks have damaged:
- Almost all of Gaza’s homes (damaged or destroyed)
- 80% of commercial facilities and 88% of school buildings
- Healthcare facilities – 50% of hospitals are partially functional
- 68% of road networks and 68% of cropland
Military casualties: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently stated that “tens of thousands” of Hamas fighters have been killed since the war began in October 2023. However, Israel has not provided specific evidence to support this claim, and Hamas has not confirmed the exact number of its losses.
THE KNOWN UNKNOWNS
Nobody fully grasps the impact of this war and what the future holds for the next generation, but there are several known unknowns.
- From an Israeli perspective:
The Gaza war is set to leave profound and lasting imprints on the next generation of Israelis, reshaping their collective identity and outlook on conflict and peace. Growing up amid continuous uncertainty and loss, young Israelis are likely to inherit deep-seated trauma and anxiety. Daily exposure to distressing news, loss within their communities, and personal histories of conflict may lead to heightened rates of post-traumatic stress and mental health issues. These experiences could redefine their collective narrative, making them more cautious—and possibly sceptical—of longstanding defence policies and nationalist rhetoric.
Historically, Israeli identity has emerged from the valour and resilience displayed in past wars. However, the current conflict blurs the traditional perceptions of victory and loss, as each military gain comes paired with a significant human cost. This may prompt a generational shift towards a more nuanced critique of militarism and a desire for policies centred on reconciliation and long-term peace-building.
Additionally, the political landscape is likely to evolve as digitally connected youths embrace diverse narratives, fuelling activism that challenges entrenched positions. Educational and cultural reforms might also arise, incorporating comprehensive reflections on conflict, thereby laying the groundwork for a more reflective and sustainable future.
- From a Gaza perspective
The Gaza war is poised to leave deep, long-lasting scars on the next generation of Gazans, affecting nearly every aspect of life from health to education and emotional well-being.
Years of conflict in Gaza has deepened an already dire crisis in food and healthcare. Chronic malnutrition—driven by widespread food insecurity and disrupted supply chains—not only stunts physical growth and weakens immunity but also increases vulnerability to disease. Studies suggest that the severe nutritional deficits experienced today may have epigenetic consequences, potentially passing detrimental health effects down to future generations.
Simultaneously, the constant exposure to violence, uncertainty, and loss leaves a lasting psychological impact on young Gazans. Children witnessing continual trauma are at a heightened risk for developing mental health disorders such as post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, and depression. These emotional scars can disrupt academic performance, social interactions, and the capacity to envision a secure, hopeful future.
Educational opportunities are also severely undermined as conflict ravages schools and community centres, eroding critical platforms for learning and social development. The interruption of education, coupled with dire economic hardships, threatens to trap a generation in cycles of poverty and reduced social mobility.
Moreover, the ongoing crisis reshapes Gaza’s social fabric. While pervasive loss and displacement may foster mistrust and radicalization, they could also galvanize collective resilience and inspire calls for reform and lasting peace. The war’s legacy, therefore, is both profoundly detrimental and a potential catalyst for transformative change.
THE UNKNOWN UNKNOWNS
If only we knew what we didn’t know.
From a Christian perspective:
But in the midst of the multitude of unknown unknowns, there remains one known known – we serve a God who holds the future in His hands and has already determined what man cannot see.
2 Corinthians 4:17-18: For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
The idea of a God who sees the unknown unknowns invites us to explore His divine omniscience as the One who addresses the uncertainties of what the future holds. God is understood to possess an all-encompassing knowledge of both the past and the future. This perspective comforts us by affirming that nothing escapes divine awareness—not even the shifting tides of tomorrow. While human lives are mired in unpredictability, sorrow, and chaos, the notion of a God who sees the uncertain future assures us that there is order and purpose beyond our limited perception.
This divine outlook envisions God’s knowledge as transcending time. God observes every moment—the joys and pains, triumphs and tragedies—with a clarity that mortal eyes cannot fathom. For those wrestling with doubt and fear about the unknown unknowns, this reassures them that every twist of fate is part of a larger, benevolent plan. Trust in such an omniscient Being can inspire a surrender of control, urging us to let go of our anxieties and to live in faith that our lives are woven into a tapestry of meaning and redemption.
Ultimately, contemplating a God who sees the uncertain future transforms our experience of the unknown. It invites us to view our struggles and uncertainties not as mere chaos but as an intricate part of a divine narrative—a story in which every moment has purpose and every future, however uncertain, is already known and cherished by a loving, all-seeing presence.
Our response should therefore be with redemptive vision, proactive obedience and unconditional self surrender.