One thing I've noticed from looking at history is that, war seems to be a constant. Even if not between nations, it's between tribes, clans, gangs; there's a general tendency for people to fight to prove who's tougher and stronger. It's a test of power, another method of communication, or politics by other means.
For those under occupation and/or heavily oppressed, they are at a disadvantage when it comes to any kind of direct confrontation. War is a gamble, and if you gamble and lose, you lose big.
Despite all the posturing and facades of enlightenment and freedom, the truth is, America is a land full of warmongers. And gamblers, unfortunately. I think our political leadership has really gone awry in recent decades. These are not nice people. They're not swayed by protests for justice or pleas for compassion. They have too many irons in the fire and geopolitical entanglements to worry about. If it's any consolation, I think America has been screwing itself for quite some time and our day of reckoning may soon arrive.
I'm not saying that Hamas should or should not surrender, but war is a dirty business all the way around. I think peace is always preferable. But those who support peace are too few in number to make much of an impact on government policy.