in gaza, this is not "the cycle of violence"

I can't claim to be super-knowledgeable on the history of Israeli-Palestinian relations, so I turn to Just World News for interpretation of events like Israel's attack on Gaza. Some of the regular commenters on the blog are also quite informed (although you naturally get quite a few irate people on this topic too).

US press coverage of this outrageous blitz on Gaza has been beyond the usual pro-Israel bias. Stories are framed as "retaliation" for Hamas rocket attacks on Israel, when the Israeli "response" has been so disproportionate to any recent Hamas aggression. Alternatively, the attacks are called a continuation of the "cycle" of violence.

Since Israel withdrew from Gaza in 2005, nine civilians have been killed by rocket fire. Britain's Daily Telegraph reports, "During the same period, at least 1,400 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli security forces in Gaza, according to figures compiled by B'Tselem, an Israeli human rights group."

Hamas will not be beaten into submission, and I'm sure that Israel knows this. What strategic advantage do they hope to gain, except to kill as many Palestinians as possible?