THE ENDLESS CYCLE: GAZA’S CHILDREN AND THE INHERITANCE OF RESISTANCE
By Vincent Lyn
The comforting idea that “the old will die, and the young will forget” — a remark attributed to the first Prime Minister of Israel David Ben-Gurion — reflects one of the most enduring aspirations of Israeli leadership since 1948: the hope that time would erode Palestinian resistance. Yet, this notion has proven catastrophically misguided. Far from fading, the Palestinian struggle has only deepened, passing from one generation to the next, their resolve forged by decades of dispossession, occupation, and unrelenting violence.
Today, this dynamic is laid bare, as the grim realities of Gaza and the West Bank unfold before a world that can no longer feign ignorance. The release of three Israeli hostages — Romi Gonen, Emily Damari, and Doron Steinbrecher — last Sunday, while a fleeting moment of humanity, was overshadowed by scenes that shattered the Israeli public’s illusions of control. Images of armed Hamas fighters in pristine uniforms, standing atop spotless trucks and managing crowds in Gaza City, revealed a stark contradiction to the narrative of “total victory” perpetuated by Israeli leaders throughout the 15-month war.
The fallout was immediate. As Israeli journalist Israel Frey remarked, “After a year and four months, in which the public’s eyes have been flooded with information and baseless narratives of stories of total victory and revenge, the Israeli public sees from Gaza images of Toyotas, armed Hamas members, and Gaza rising from the ruins.” This cognitive dissonance has shaken the Israeli public to its core, amplifying doubts about the efficacy of the war and the promises of leaders like Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who vowed to eradicate Hamas but instead presides over a conflict that has only emboldened them.
Even as Gaza momentarily recedes from the headlines, the brutality shifts focus. The Israeli army’s large-scale ground assault on Jenin refugee camps and the simultaneous settler attacks in towns like Funduq lay bare the systemic nature of the violence. These actions, preplanned but opportunistically timed to quell political dissent within Israel’s far-right coalition, have turned the West Bank into yet another crucible of suffering. Within hours, bodies lay on the streets of Jenin, too dangerous to retrieve, while settlers wreaked havoc with impunity. It is as if Israel merely pressed pause on Gaza to unleash the same fury on the West Bank.
Against this backdrop, Gaza’s children endure unspeakable horrors. Born into a life of siege, their every moment shaped by deprivation, bombings, and the loss of loved ones, they grow up with little hope and every reason to resist. Over the past 15 months, the violence inflicted upon Palestinian minors has escalated to harrowing levels. International reports detail the rising toll: children killed, maimed, orphaned, or left to navigate life amidst rubble. This systematic assault ensures that trauma and anger are their inheritance, perpetuating a cycle of radicalization born not out of inherent hatred, but of survival in a system that denies their humanity.
The question must be asked: can we fault these children for their reactions? What choice remains for those who have been robbed of their homes, families, and futures? They are told to choose peace, yet live in a reality that denies them justice. Their radicalization does not occur in a vacuum; it is the direct consequence of policies that strip them of dignity and life itself. And while their resistance is demonized, it mirrors the response any of us might have under similar oppression.
The moral burden, however, does not lie with these children, nor with the generations of Palestinians before them. It lies squarely with the systems and leaders who perpetuate their suffering. Israel’s ongoing occupation and policies of dispossession have created an unending cycle of violence, one that ensures no true peace is possible. The past 76 years of conflict are a testament to this failure — a failure of leadership, of international accountability, and of humanity.
Even for Israel, the illusion of “victory” is unraveling. The sight of Gaza seemingly rising from its ruins, of armed fighters parading in defiance, is not a symbol of Palestinian triumph alone — it is an indictment of Israel’s inability to suppress a people’s will to resist. No amount of military might can erase the collective memory or spirit of a nation.
The cycle of violence in Gaza and the West Bank demands urgent action. It is not enough to exchange hostages or declare ceasefires while the underlying structures of occupation remain untouched. If the world genuinely aspires to peace, it must confront the root causes of this conflict: the systematic denial of Palestinian rights, the blockade of Gaza, and the relentless expansion of settlements in the West Bank. Only by dismantling these injustices can we hope to break the cycle and prevent yet another generation from growing up in hatred and despair.
The events of the past 15 months are not isolated — they are the inevitable result of a conflict allowed to fester for decades. How much longer will the world stand idly by as children are forced to become soldiers in a battle not of their making? The cost of inaction is clear, and the human toll is far too high. If there is any hope for peace, it lies in justice — not for one side, but for all.
Vincent Lyn
CEO & Founder of We Can Save Children
Deputy Ambassador of International Human Rights Commission (IHRC)
Director of Creative Development at African Views Organization
Economic & Social Council at United Nations (ECOSOC)
Chief International Director at 365 Security Services
Rescue & Recovery Specialist at International Confederation of Police & Security Experts