"They did not opt for war - Israel started this as a revenge attack for the death of four boys."

Oh but they DID opt for war Christmas, the Israeli's offered to extend the 72-hour ceasefire but Hamas decided to resume "fighting" – For "fighting" read firing off some missiles from locations deliberately surrounded by civilians in order that Hamas ensures that while they do the "fighting" it is the civilian population that do the dying – Hamas never has nor ever will give a flying f**k about the civilians who live in Gaza, they are only useful for the photo ops that bring in the aid dollars, that is why for 67 years the Arabs have kept their tame refugees in abject poverty.
Christmas could you please point out in the Hamas charter where they state that they will wipe out all Israelis, they do however make many references to wiping out all Jews.