" the Palestinians should stop killing and wounding Israelis, and the Israelis should stop killing Palestinians - but as neither are going to at the present time, what do people suggest the Palestinians should do to protect their homes and lives - turn the other cheek, surrender? "

I think they should stop firing rockets to kill civilians.
It is impossible to construe such attacks as defensive.
The Israelis would then have no pretext, if that is what it is, for their strikes against Hamas.

After Israel withdrew from Gaza, the rockets continued unprovoked, and preceded each IDF strike and were claimed as the justification for each strike.