Back on Jazzfanz for the first time in a minute, wanted to read some and let some thoughts flow too. No real order to them.
I'm not very interested in a 'who started it' discussion at this point, it goes back to at least WWI, and certainly nobody alive today was there making decisions, all need to focus on how to move forward.
The Israeli government and Hamas are imperfect representatives of their people, but they are representatives of them. Trump was our president and now Biden is, I expect other nations to treat their actions as our actions unless we are actively trying to remove them through revolutionary action.
For wars to end all parties have to want the war to end (or a big neutral party can stamp it out, but none of those exist or are interested). Hamas isn't even close to wanting the war to end, and Israel isn't either after recent events (they weren't that close prior either, but closer).
I've been happy with US efforts to keep the war from expanding. I'm happy Fatah and the West Bank doesn't seem to jumping all in on the situation. It gives me some hope on they and the Israelis continuing to be on speaking terms.
I find it unlikely Israel backs down from the current bombardments/siege into invasion plan until a serious percentage of hostages are accounted for. I am concerned Hamas will not turn them over under any circumstance, their goal seems to be becoming martyrs (well, not personally, leadership is abroad, but turning the Gazan people into martyrs).
I hope that boots on the ground leadership in Gaza prevails and does what is best for their people and negotiates those hostage returns, and that Israel responds with as much empathy as they can muster including ending the active siege, letting in any aid and ceasing bombardment.
Can't really see much past that at this point, but I hope that's what happens next.