The PLO pulled out of Beirut in the early 1980s after being given guarantees from the international community that the remaining Palestinian population, unarmed civilians, would be protected both from Lebanese Christians and Israeli forces.

Then Israeli forces colluded with Christian militias to massacre Palestinians in their camps.

Hamas was never going to disarm and hand back the hostages based on "Trust me, bro".

There is not a single person in the Middle East who maps the behavior of Hamas to that of the PLO in the 1980's.

Hamas is a death cult. They will fight to the last Gazan child.

They have agency. They could end the war tomorrow, or a year ago.